The Moon's light and the dawn
by luna-saviour6
Summary: Sequel to the Glowing Moon and the Shining Sun. After sealing the door to darkness, Sairu and Riku journey through the strange Castle Oblivion, one looking for a friend, another seeking to defeat his darkness. Little does Sairu know, that friend is not too far away. Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix or Disney characters, and this is written for fun, NOT profit.
1. Chapter 1

The Moon's Light and the Dawn

After the King and Sora sealed the door to darkness, Riku, Sairu and King Mickey are engulfed in a bright light, rendered unconscious and scattered throughout the realm of darkness. In a realm of nothing but perpetual grey smoke, Riku floated there, unconscious, safely wrapped in the comforting embrace of slumber. He slowly came round, wondering aloud where he was, until a voice rang out: "Stay asleep". Once Riku heard this, he was suddenly alert and ready. "Who's there?!" he called out. "You should remain asleep. Here, between light and dark" "Between what?" Riku pondered confusedly. Then, realization hit him: "The King and Sairu! Where are they?! Together we closed the door to darkness. After that-" "You came drifting here by yourself" the voice explained. You did not have the strength to overcome the darkness. Or... maybe you were close to it" the voice continued. "Hmph. As if I'm some kind of demon" he retorted spitefully.

The voice responded rather satisfied with his response. "Turn from the light. Shut your eyes. Here blanketed by the darkness, sleep is safety. Sleep is eternal. But..." a light appears out of nowhere before Riku, before fading to reveal what appeared to be some sort of card, inscribed with a picture of a castle that invoked a sense of emptiness within Riku. As the card proceeded to float around Riku, he asked "What's this?" the voice responded "It is a door to the truth. Take it and your sleep ends, as you take the first step towards the truth. But know this: the truth will bring you pain. Will you still go? There is no return to the security of sleep" the voice finished explaining. As Riku paused to consider, after a few moments of thinking, he reached for the card, with its light fading in his hand, and confidently declared "This seemed like a boring place to take a nap anyway" smirked. "That was very well said, Riku" the voice responded, sounding amused. Then, to his surprise, a blinding radiance emitted from the card, forcing Riku to close them, and once they opened again, he discovered he was now somewhere else.

His new surroundings were for the most part, a dazzling white colour, numerous white pillars lined across the walls. The style of the room was somewhat difficult to place, but at first guess, Riku believed he must be in some sort of castle. After gaining an understanding of his surroundings, Riku turned his eyes on the card in his hand and said aloud "A door to the truth, huh..." Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed an unconscious figure behind him.

He was an ordinary looking boy for the most part, with medium length dark red hair, a jade green collared shirt, blue jeans, black and white trainers and a black arm warmer adorning his left arm. He laid on his front among the white floor, revealing a peculiar sword strapped across his back: a white bladed sword that seemed to blend with the surroundings, with a hand-guard stylised as a crescent moon, and a chain from the hilt of the sword with a crescent moon charm. Riku instantly knew who it was and rushed to his side, jostling him awake, calling his name: "Sairu. Come on, wake up!" he said as softly as he could; thankfully, Sairu began to stir and his eyes began to open, revealing chocolate brown eyes. His speech was slurred, but he began to come round and he noticed Riku kneeling over him.

"Riku... Where are we?" Sairu asked once he regained his composure and began to rise. "I don't know, but I think that door ahead will lead us further into wherever we are" Riku answered. "I see... Wait! Where is the King?" he added worriedly. "I don't know, but it looks like we're going to have to go on ahead by ourselves" Riku responded. Sairu nodded in understanding, but then, to his surprise, "Sairu, how did you get here, exactly?" Riku asked. "I'm... not too sure. All I remember is that the King sealed the door to darkness; everything after that is just blank" Sairu answered. Riku gave him a nod of the head, and then, the two friends decided to move on and they approached the golden door at the far end of the room.

As Riku stopped before it, he holds out the card above his head, which glowed and disappeared whilst the door opened, enveloping the duo in the light. Once they opened their eyes again, they were greeted with a shocking sight: the exterior of the castle, Hollow Bastion. "This is Hollow Bastion!" Riku said. Sairu only gave a look of confusion: 'How did we get here? And why does it seem so familiar?' he thought. Then, he heard a voice speak: "What you see is not real. It's the world of your memory" "Who was that?" Sairu asked, but Riku ignored him and spoke to the voice "My memory?" "The things you remember from your time at Maleficent's castle became a card, and that card made this world" the voice explained, which was strangely a relief for Sairu: knowing it was all an illusion.

"You've seen everything here before, haven't you?" the voice asked. "Yeah..." answered Riku, lost in thought. "So what now? Are we going to learn something? Maybe meet someone?" Riku then asked. The voice responded "You would meet the people in your memories. Ordinarily." He added cryptically. "What does that mean?" Riku demanded. His only response was silence. "Hey! I'm asking you a question!" Still no response. "Fine. But it had better be you we come across, Voice" Riku sighed in defeat and turned to Sairu. "Sairu, you ready?" But there was no response as Sairu was nowhere in sight. "Guess it's just me" he sighed again and ran on to explore.

When Sairu came round, he soon found himself in what appeared to be a bedroom, with only a bed in the corner and Riku looking at the room rather darkly. "Hey, where are we, and how did we get here?" Sairu asked, causing Riku to jump in surprise. "Whoa, Sairu... Where have you been?" he asked, gasping for breath. "What do you mean? I only remember being outside and then, everything was sort of a blank white" Sairu responded. "It is the rules of this castle" the voice spoke, surprising the two boys. "What?" Riku asked.

"Here, in the castle you two emerged in, the rules state that those who use the cards will traverse the castle's labyrinth alone. Yet, for brief instances, he can regain his form to aid you in combat, and this special room allows him to regain his form before he becomes a card again" the voice explained, the two boys nodding in understanding. "Speaking of this room, do you remember it, Riku?" the voice changed the subject. Riku simply responded "Everything IS just how I remember it. Even this room..." The disembodied voice merely snorted in response before speaking "It must be nice being back in your old bedroom. Think of all the memories..." "Sorry, but these memories I could do without. Maleficent gave me this room" Riku responded. "So she did. And you lived here, tempted by the darkness she offered. You cast away your home, friends, everything... But at least they gave you a nice room" the voice argued. "Stop talking!" Riku suddenly shouted and ran out of the room, while Sairu was turned into a card once again, everything turning white once again.

Once Sairu appeared again, he and Riku were now in the entrance hall of the castle. "No one else here, either..." Riku said quietly. "Huh?" Sairu asked. "As I've been travelling through the castle again, there hasn't been anyone or anything except for Heartless" Riku responded. Sairu merely nodded in understanding, as he did appear when Riku found a card of him and lent Riku his strength. Then Riku and Sairu jumped to the lower level of the hall and Riku shouted "Voice! I know you're watching- so explain this! Where are the people from my memories?" The voice thankfully responded "Do you want to see them?" "Of course I do" Riku exclaimed in retaliation. "But you cast them aside" What?" Riku asked, confused. "You dreamt of the outside world, and you passed through the door to darkness. Behind you, you left family, friends, home- everything- all in pursuit of darkness" he explained, until Riku retaliated "But I cast that aside too!"

"And what do you have to show for it? First your home, then the dark. Your heart only knows how to cast away. It's empty- like that room, apart from Sairu, of course. Regardless, your memories are devoid of any people; therefore, there is no one to meet. Your heart is hollow- except for the residual darkness" the voice explained. But Riku was now fed up with the voice and shouted "You're wrong! I rejected the darkness!" The voice simply laughed and said "Did you really, now?" With that, Riku turned to Sairu, who simply nodded before turning into a card again as Riku left the room.

This time, Sairu did not appear until Riku called on his help in battle with a dragon which could only have been Maleficent, or at least, the illusion of Maleficent. After lending his assistance, he disappeared yet again, until he regained his form in the next floor of the castle he awoke in earlier. Thankfully, Riku was by his side, though the voice appeared to taunt Riku this time. "Why do you shun the darkness?" it asked. Riku simply responded "Come on, I know you heard me- every word I said to Maleficent" the voice then responded "Darkness is your weapon. It is time you learned you must accept it" "What do you mean?" Riku asked. "Stop resisting. Accept the darkness. You have no choice..." the voice said as he appeared, and to Sairu's horror, the figure revealed itself to be none other than Ansem "if you are to serve me again!" he finished, smirking confidently.

"How is it possible? The light of Kingdom Hearts destroyed you! You shouldn't exist at all!" Sairu exclaimed in anger and horror. Ansem merely glanced in Sairu's direction, and responded "It's quite simple. Riku still bears a sample of my darkness in his heart. As long as that fragment survives, I will never be destroyed" he proudly declared. Riku, however, simply gave a rather lucid look at Ansem, and said "I thought it was you... Ansem" Ansem unfolded his arms and addressed Riku "Oh, you don't seem surprised" Ansem replied, before Riku replied "All you have been talking about is the darkness. I can only assume you want to pull me back in... so you can play puppet master" he explained with a dismissive wave of his hand. Ansem seemed amused, and then said "Clever boy. I knew you'd be the one to most appropriately serve me. And mow, surrender to me again-" He was interrupted summoning his sword, exclaiming "You're crazy! Not a chance!" and running at him, only to be repelled by an invisible force field, and fell on his back.

"Riku!" Sairu exclaimed and drew his sword, attempting to use his Radiant Wave attack (the white energy technique he used against the giant Heartless in Monstro's stomach), only to see that nothing happened. Ansem confidently lowered his hand and said to Riku "Did you really think you could do me harm? A weakling like you couldn't even defeat Sora, and you had darkness on your side" Riku managed to rise into a sitting position. "Excuse me... for being weak..." he said. "You are weak. You need darkness. Surrender. Bow to darkness. Bow to me" he said as he approached, only for his path to be blocked by Sairu wielding his sword. But Ansem merely swept him aside, and he landed against the wall, just clinging on to consciousness.

"That's not going to happen!" Riku said defiantly. Ansem then stood over Riku and said "Only the darkness can offer to you all of the strength that you will need". Then, an unexpected voice spoke and argued "You're wrong!" Then, a small orb of light appeared, circling Riku as he and Sairu began to recognise the voice. "That voice...! Your Majesty?!" Riku spoke, and the King's voice responded "That's right! Remember Riku, you're not alone" before the light faded and entered Riku's chest. He then spoke "Listen close. The light'll never give up on you. You'll always find it, even in the deepest darkness!" After hearing this, Riku rose to his feet and said "I won't lose to darkness. Not today" Ansem defiantly said "You think that feeble little fight can save you from the darkness that I command?" thus engaging Riku in battle, while Sairu leant against the wall, regaining his strength.

After some time elapsed, Riku and Ansem's battle came to an end, culminating as a draw. "What, that all you got?" Riku remarked confidently, though Ansem simply responded "It seems to me that you are intent on resisting the darkness. All right. Then see it for yourself" and with that, he produced card in his card. "This is a card crafted from your memory. Advance through the world it creates and soon, you will understand... Chasing after light is not the way. It will not give you distance from the darkness. There is no running from the darkness" he explained. Riku simply dismissed it and said "Don't worry, I'm not running. Give it. I'll enter the world and in the end, if I haven't given in o the darkness... Then I win" When he finished speaking, Ansem smirked and threw the card to Riku who caught it.

"I have one more gift for you" and with a number of hand gestures, a portion of darkness appeared on Riku's chest, seemingly causing pain to Riku. "What'd you do?" Riku demanded to know. "I simply tempered the darkness that yet remains in your heart" Ansem answered. "You still think I'd rely on darkness?" Riku asked scathingly. "To use it or not is your choice. I'll be waiting, Riku... for you to sense it and yield to the darkness in your heart!" With that, Ansem disappeared into darkness, leaving Riku clutching his chest. "Are you OK, Riku?" Sairu asked as he walked over to his companion. "I'm fine. Come on, let's go" Riku answered, and they proceeded to the next floor.

Elsewhere, in a secluded darkened room of the castle, stood a solitary figure, resting his chin on his hand in thought. This figure was dressed in a black cloak, with black gloves and boots. His most striking feature was steel grey-blue hair that was short at the back and longer on the front, with his bangs draping over the right side of his face. Then, black smoke suddenly appeared, and as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, revealing a tall, burly man dressed in a similar black cloak, with short auburn hair that was slicked back into odd, messy spikes and blue eyes.

The steel-blue haired individual was brought out of his contemplation by his companion's arrival. He then spoke in an empty voice "Don't I even warrant a hello, Lexaeus?" he asked. As he spoke, a third individual in a black cloak with long platinum blond hair, with two bangs framing his face and bright green eyes appeared from the same black smoke and approached the steel-blue haired man and asked impatiently "What is going on here, Zexion? I want an explanation" Zexion turned to the new arrival and said "Nice to see you too, Vexen. It's such a shame. The Organization used to be the rope that bound us together"


	2. Together, yet apart

Chapter 2- Together, yet apart

Elsewhere, in a secluded, darkened room of the castle, stood a solitary figure, resting his chin on his hand in thought. This figure was dressed in a black cloak, with black gloves and boots. His most striking feature was steel grey-blue hair that was short at the back and longer on the front, with his bangs draping over the right side of his face. Then, black smoke suddenly appeared, and as quickly as it did, it disappeared, revealing a tall, burly man dressed in a similar black cloak, with short auburn hair that was slicked back into odd, messy spikes and blue eyes.

The steel-blue haired individual was brought out of his contemplation by his companion's arrival. He then spoke in an empty voice "Don't I even warrant a hello, Lexaeus?" he asked. As he spoke, a third individual in a black cloak with long platinum blond hair, with two bangs framing his face and bright green eyes appeared from the same black smoke and approached the steel-blue haired man and asked impatiently "What is going on here, Zexion? I want an explanation" Zexion turned to the new arrival and said "Nice to see you too, Vexen. It's such a shame. The Organization used to be the rope that bound us together" "You're only Number 6! How dare you-" Vexen scathingly remarked, but was interrupted by the third of their tierce "Let it go, Vexen" he said in a stern yet empty voice. Vexen eyed Lexaeus with disdain, but kept quiet all the same.

"Zexion, tell us. What did you detect?" Lexaeus asked. Zexion answered with "Visitors. I picked up three scents in the castle's lowest basement. One of them was Maleficent-" "Don't be absurd" Vexen interrupted. "The witch is gone. She cannot return from the realm of darkness of her own volition" "If you would let me finish" Zexion dryly responded. "The scent belonged not to that of the real Maleficent, but to a very convincing double. But I truly cannot say much beyond that since the double is no more. Our other visitors saw to that" he explained. "And who are they?" Lexaeus asked, curious about the other visitors. "That is where it gets complicated. I am unable to determine the identities of these other visitors, but one of the scents was very similar to that of the Superior's" he added.

"And yet, not exactly the same, is it? This truly piques my curiosity" Vexen added, while Zexion resumed speaking. "As for the third scent, I cannot ascertain as to whom it is, other than, this scent seems to invoke some sense of familiarity" "Familiarity?" Lexaeus asked, his own curiosity being piqued. "That is the best you can elucidate about this visitor, Zexion?" Vexen said, feigning amusement at his colleague's lack of explanation. "Well, the scent of darkness from this third visitor is far less potent than their companion's, but nevertheless, the fact that they are here in Castle Oblivion is reason enough to be concerned. In the meantime, what are we to do?" Zexion asked amongst his colleagues. After a brief pause, Lexaeus simply spoke "We wait. See what develops".

Meanwhile, Sairu and Riku had emerged in the next floor of the castle's basement, Sairu clutching his left arm as they walked. "Are you alright? Does it hurt?" Riku asked in a concerned voice. Sairu turned back to Riku and smiled, answering with "I'll be fine. No worries". Riku nodded to his companion, but then he started sniffing the air for some reason. "What's wrong?" Sairu asked in curiosity. "Do you smell that?" Riku asked. Sairu then sniffed the air, then shook his head. "What's that scent? It's so familiar..." Riku then proceeded to sniff his own arm, then realised what it was, to his horror. "Darkness. It's the smell of darkness. I can't believe this is happening. The darkness even seeped into my skin..." "Don't worry, Riku" The King's voice appeared out of nowhere. "Your Majesty!" Sairu and Riku said, as light blinded them, only to then reveal a transparent mouse dressed in an outfit that reminded Sairu of a certain friend of theirs.

Sairu and Riku were overjoyed to see a friendly face for a while, but were surprised to see they could see through him. "What happened?" Sairu said. "We can see... right through you" Riku said. King Mickey then proceeded to look himself over, saying to the two "Funny, huh? I can only send a bit of my power to this place. That's why I've got a request for you both" "Request? For us both?" Riku asked, turning to Sairu. "Listen, Riku" Mickey said "Just because darkness holds you, don't let go of who you are. You've got to fight the darkness inside you! It won't be easy to do, I know. But please don't forget. Even in the darkest darkness, there's always a little bit of light" "Light within darkness" Riku said knowingly before the King continued. "You and I have seen it. The far, welcoming light inside the door to darkness... The light of Kingdom Hearts- it will show you the way. Please don't give up. Believe in the light. That's a request from my heart" "Okay... I'll do my best" Riku said, while smiling.

"Trust me. I'll try to find a way to reach you guys. And Sairu" the King said, turning to their other companion "Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked politely. "Promise me that you will be there for Riku if the darkness overwhelms him, and I'm unable to help. The light you hold is strong. Use it well, and stand by Riku wherever he goes. That is my heart's request for you" King Mickey explained. "Well, it goes without saying, but I'll do my best" Sairu said confidently. "Good to know" the King said as he smiled and turned to Riku, holding a transparent hand out to Riku "I'll get there, I promise" and Riku reached to shake on it, but his hand grabbed nothing. "You're an illusion..." Riku said. "Don't worry. We shook hands in our hearts, remember? We're connected, us three" "Guess we are" Sairu remarked and Riku nodded in agreement before the King disappeared.

With that, Riku turned to Sairu and asked "You ready to keep going?" he asked, smiling to his friend. Sairu returned it with his own smile, and replied, teasingly "No way I'm letting you go on your own. You wouldn't last five minutes without me" "Oh, is that a challenge?" Riku replied jokingly in return. "Heh heh... Yeah. Let's get going" Sairu light-heartedly remarked, and with that, the two proceeded to the next of the card worlds, which Riku chose as Neverland.

Back with Zexion, Lexaeus and Vexen, the former stood in silence, with Vexen pacing up and down the room, as Zexion continued in his efforts in discovering the identities of the two visitors, until realization struck him. "I have identified one of the scents. It is... Riku" he spoke as he lowered his hands. Vexen ceased pacing and turned to Zexion "Riku? Has he emerged from the realm of darkness?" he asked quizzically. Zexion then decided to clarify, explaining "His existence- it was once doubled in the darkness" "Fascinating... That's why you mistook him for the Superior. The dark power given to Riku facilitated his escape from its realm" Vexen said, sounding interested.

"What I want to know is why he appeared here in Castle Oblivion" Zexion queried aloud. "That's really quite simple. His heart resonates with that of another hero" Vexen explained. "Sora is in the castle?" Zexion asked, sounding intrigued. "He arrived earlier. Marluxia is already using Naminé's unique powers to meddle with Sora's heart" was Vexen's reply. "Without even bothering to consult us" Zexion dryly commented. "It seems he desperately wants the Keyblade master for himself- what a foolish plan, indeed. Sora's is not such an interesting existence. The entity that holds true value- is Riku, the hero of darkness" Vexen said.

With that, Lexaeus turned his attention to the indigo-haired boy at his left and spoke for the first time this whole conversation "What of the other scent you detected before? Judging from your lack of explanation on this matter, I can surmise you still haven't discovered his identity." Zexion turned to face Lexaeus with a feigned expression of dejection. "Sadly, you are correct. This other traveller alongside Riku must also bear some connection to the Keyblade master, Sora" Zexion theorised aloud. "An interesting theory, but the probability of such an event is extremely low" Vexen added. "If the odour of darkness around him was more potent, I would have more success in this venture to know who it is. The only thing I can detect from this other individual is the same nagging feeling of familiarity" Zexion said.

"Hmm... Then we should confront Riku and this traveller to discover his identity. Considering Riku's fascinating existence, it would be more appropriate to confront Riku and find out his companion's identity" Vexen proposed. Zexion and Lexaeus eyed him with suspicion, but they did not dispute the matter, other than Zexion commenting "Do as you wish". Vexen simply smirked at his permission to collect something invaluable from Riku.


	3. Familiar faces

Chapter 3- Familiar faces

After clearing the card world of Neverland, Riku and Sairu were returned to the castle floor, where they were greeted by a strange sight: an oval of black smoke erupted from the ground, and once it disappeared, a figure stood in its place: a platinum blonde-haired man with bright green eyes, dressed in only a black cloak, with gloves and boots. Once his eyes fell on Riku before him, he then turned his gaze over to Sairu, who seemed to recognise him, and in turn, he was familiar with Sairu.

After looking him over, Vexen turned his gaze to Riku again and spoke "I take it you're Riku" he spoke rather formally. "Are you with Ansem?" Riku demanded. "You are half correct. Let us say he is not the Ansem with which you are familiar. He is Ansem, and he is not Ansem. Perhaps a 'Nobody' best conveys the idea" Riku stood there, ready to draw his sword in case of a struggle. Then Sairu spoke up before Riku responded "You... You're... Even, aren't you?" Vexen then directed his attention on Sairu and answered "Much like your friend here, you are also half correct. I was indeed Even, but now, I am Vexen, the chief scientist of the Organization. I am only half the man I once was, or perhaps I'm even more than before" chuckling at the end in a teasing manner.

Sairu was not buying this answer. "It was a simple yes or no question. Are you or are you not Even?" he asked in an angry tone of voice. Vexen then gave Sairu a disgruntled expression and said "Must I repeat myself? I am certain that I provided an adequate answer... Sairu". This took Riku and Sairu by surprise: so he knew who they both were, but how did he know? "So, you remember who I am" Sairu said, being the only words he could muster. "Indeed. Zexion has been attempting to decipher the identity of the two visitors, but now, here is the proof" "Riddles were never my thing. Try again" Riku spoke up, looking back at Vexen. "Well, where did we leave off? He belongs to neither the light nor the dark but walks the twilight between" Vexen explained which served to baffle the two friends, leaving Vexen to chuckle at their confusion.

"Catching on now? Oh yes. You both also stand in between the light and darkness. It appears we have much in common" Riku clutched his chest as he absorbed what Vexen was saying. "Maybe..." Riku then said "Like you said, there really is darkness left inside of me. But so what?" he exclaimed, summoning his sword and exclaimed "Darkness is my enemy! And so are you for reeking of that awful smell!" With that, Sairu stood at Riku's side with his own sword in hand. "Oh ho! So it's a fight you want. Very good- I shall take you on!" And the same as before, everything went white as Sairu transformed into a card, leaving Riku to battle Vexen himself.

Soon, once Sairu was returned to his regular form, he noticed Riku attempting to futilely break through Vexen's shield, evoking humour from the Chilly Academic. "I find, coursing through you, there is a darkness of formidable power growing! Well worth the trouble of aggravating you. All this excitement has provided me with invaluable data." He exclaimed in mock glee, which served to enlighten Riku. As they broke apart, Vexen gives his many thanks to Riku, and bids farewell, retreating into more of that dark smoke. "Tch...It was a trick all along" he said spitefully. Sairu then approached Riku and asked "Are you alright, Riku?"

Riku then turned to Sairu and answered, dejectedly "I'm fine. Can't believe he wound me up for data collection. Anyway, you called him Even before. Do you know who that guy was?" His question was hardly unexpected; Sairu knew Riku was bound to ask that in the moment of their respite. Nevertheless, Sairu explained "When I was a kid, living in Hollow Bastion, before it was consumed by the darkness, Even was a renowned scientist, who directly served under our ruler. His research proved invaluable more than once, hence his reputation. However, I knew him more personally, because he served as my friend's ward in a way" "A ward? You mean, your friend was wealthy?" Riku asked in curiosity.

"Well, no, more like an assistant. Ienzo and I were both orphans, though Ienzo had been taken in by our ruler and adopted as his son. Even was tasked with keeping a watch on him as he studied or left the castle to come play with Kairi and I" Sairu finished, leaving Riku to understand it himself. "I see. Well, if it's alright for me to ask, was Kairi an orphan like you guys?" Sairu blinked as he heard the question and then answered "No, Kairi was raised by her grandma. She was a sweet old woman, and she was fond of her granddaughter's friendship with us. In a way, it was like she became our grandmother as well" Sairu said, smiling at the once distant memory.

"Kairi is lucky to have such a good friend as you, but unlucky that she wound up apart from you for nearly ten years" Riku said, happy in the knowledge that Kairi had a good life before arriving at the islands. "Thanks, Riku. That means a lot. Well, what do you say we keep moving? I get the feeling there's even more to do up ahead now that we know Ansem isn't the only problem here" Sairu said. "Yeah, let's go" Riku answered and the two friends carried on to the next card world: Traverse Town.

Zexion was now well and truly frustrated. When it came to discovering the identity of intruders or visitors, he had next to no problem to figuring it out, but this was starting to aggravate him, which was surprising. His reverie came to an end as he noticed Lexaeus approaching. "Is there something troubling you, Zexion?" he asked in a vacant voice. "The identity of Riku's companion is still unknown to me. Never before have I been so clueless as to who this individual is. Furthermore, this feeling of familiarity is beginning to get on my last nerve" he said in a seemingly angry voice.

"Fret not. Vexen encountered Riku and his companion and engaged them in battle. He survived the fight, and is now using the collected data to work on his Replica. Once he is completed, Vexen should disclose the identity in due time. Until then, we must be patient" Lexaeus finished, attempting to reassure Zexion. Thankfully, his efforts bore fruit as Zexion's posture relaxed. "Yes, I suppose you are right" "What's happening with Sora?" Lexaeus asked, changing the subject entirely.

"Naminé's powers are being used to shuffle his memories as we speak. Marluxia may well succeed in getting his puppet. Sora would be a valuable asset to the Organization... but, Marluxia and Larxene's actions, they-leave me quite uneasy" Zexion explained. Lexaeus interjected, saying "And then there is Axel. Who knows what that one is thinking..." sounding concerned as well. "Vexen should take care of this. His Replica is soon to be completed, after all" Zexion replied. "But Vexen despises Marluxia. Think of the mess it would make" Lexaeus argued. "So we must tell him" Zexion said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. "Isn't it better that Vexen clean up the mess than leave it to us?"

After clearing Traverse Town, Sairu and Riku were then greeted with a shocking sight. "Huh!? What are you supposed to be?" Riku said in surprise. As the figure approached, he simply answered mockingly "Surprised? I guess you should be" The figure is then revealed to be a doppelganger of Riku. Sairu, for a second, thought he was hallucinating, but as Riku saw it as well, it was clearly not a hallucination. "After all, I look just like you. I'll tell you what I am. I'm an exact Replica of you that Vexen made with your data" the Replica stated. "So you're a fake me" Riku retaliated.

"Not a 'fake'!" the Replica exclaimed. "I don't care if you're real! You're not better! We share the same body and the same talents. But there is one easy way to tell us apart, though!" he said as he raised an accusing finger at Riku. "And what's that, then?" Sairu asked. The Replica ignored him, but continued to explain spitefully, "Unlike you, I fear nothing" This insulted Riku who then asked "Are you calling me a coward?" Riku asked in response. "You're afraid of the dark! The darkness inside you still frightens you, no matter what you say" Riku was left unable to answer, so the Replica confidently remarked "But I'M different. I embrace the darkness. I can make it do whatever I want" and his attire changed into that which Riku typically wore when he utilised the darkness in battle.

Sensing a battle, Sairu drew his sword just as the Replica drew his own blade. "So, I can wipe the floor with you" and the Replica stood in a battle stance. At this, Riku was ready to battle, and Sairu became a card to aid Riku. Alongside the card of King Mickey and Sairu, Riku's strength grew to combine his strength in an all-powerful attack: Radiant Circle. With their backs to each other, the tierce unleashed a barrage of light and dark energy strikes that homed in on the Replica, dealing critical damage to their foe. Once Sairu and King Mickey left the field, Riku landed the finishing blow and defeated his doppelganger.

"Hey, Fake. I thought I heard you say you were going to wipe the floor with me" Riku confidently declared as he smirked, while Sairu nodded in agreement. "Hmph... Don't forget, I'm still new. I'll get stronger and stronger. The next time we fight, you're finished!" The Replica simply retorted. "Then let's fight now!" Sairu exclaimed as he ran at the Replica, only to be repelled by a shield of darkness, sending him flying back. The Replica couldn't help but laugh at the blatant display of idiocy on Sairu's part, and spoke to Riku "It's nice having darkness on my side. You are SO missing out. How can you be scared of something that can be so thrilling?" he questioned, but Riku defiantly said "Enough!"

The Replica, however, was not dissuaded from Riku's outburst. "Hmph. So now the coward is playing tough. So long, Real Thing. Hope you don't miss me" The Replica said before taking his leave. "Come back!" Riku exclaimed, but the Replica was long gone. "Tch... No way. I'm not a coward..." and he soon bolted after him. "Riku, wait up!" Sairu shouted as he rose to his feet and caught up with him on the next floor.

Back in the darker room of the castle, Vexen, Lexaeus and Zexion stood around one another, when the Replica appeared before them, confidence oozing from his very being. "So how was the real thing?" Vexen asked amusedly. "He's spineless. In no time at all, I'll be better than him" The Replica spoke with arrogance in his voice. "In the meantime, would you be interested in meeting another who's considered a hero?" Vexen asked, feigning curiosity. "You mean Sora. I hear he's somewhere in the castle. You want me to take care of him?" the Replica asked, intrigue evident in his features. "We'll see... Yes... I intend to make good use of you" Vexen commented cryptically. "No worries. The real Riku was nothing, nor that other boy. Sora won't be either. They're no match for me" The Replica commented as he took his leave, with Vexen in tow via dark corridor.

After Vexen and the Replica's leaving, Zexion was frustrated that Vexen never divulged the identity of Riku's companion in the conversation they shared beforehand. "Once again, I am needlessly frustrated with the identity of an individual who will most likely perish at the hands of our cohorts! Why does it infuriate me so?" Zexion declared angrily. "Calm yourself, Zexion. Follow me" Lexaeus said and beckoned his comrade to follow into another room, identical to the one before, but with what seemed to be a giant crystal ball in the centre of the room. "Why did I not consider this before?" Zexion said frustratingly. "Because you like to challenge yourself" Lexaeus teasingly remarked, with a small smile evident on his rugged face. Zexion gave him a dry look, and approached the crystal ball, which activated when he was within arm's reach of it. After the clouds in the crystal ball cleared, it revealed two boys running side by side: one was dressed in yellow and blue attire with silver hair, whilst the other wore a jade green shirt, blue jeans, black and white trainers and a white sword strapped to his back and darkish red hair.

Then, the angle changed, revealing their faces. Zexion recognised the silver-haired boy as Riku, but when he saw the other boy's face, he was suddenly struck with unimaginable shock as he immediately recognised the face: that of his one-time best friend, Sairu Leonhart, whom he hadn't seen for the good part of ten years. "Sairu..." Zexion whispered in his shock, as he realized it was indeed him. "Well, this is indeed a surprise" Lexaeus remarked a he gazed at the images in the crystal ball. "Sairu Leonhart... he was always trouble" But Zexion appeared not to have heard him, staring at the images with disbelieving eyes before he tore them away from the crystal ball, still reeling from the shock, but deep down, though he couldn't really call it a feeling, he suddenly felt lighter.


	4. Renewed Resolve

Chapter 4- Renewed resolve

After the Replica fled, Riku and Sairu sprinted after him, only to discover he was nowhere in sight, yet it was clear Riku didn't know nor cared. "Come out! Show yourself, Fake!" "Fake? Oh no... That's not exactly the right word" a mocking voice echoed, before Ansem appeared from the darkness again, appearing as arrogant as ever. "Not you again" Sairu groaned. "What are you saying? Isn't he just a copy of me?" Riku asked, clearly having not heard Sairu's remark. "More like a model" Ansem corrected. "He is an example of what you should try to be. He accepts the darkness... just like you once couldn't help but accept me. But now you are afraid. Perhaps YOU are the one who is being fake. Fake when you pretend to have no fear" "When have I been afraid of the dark?" Riku asked, confused.

"Inside of the card worlds..." Ansem continued "you grappled desperately with the darkness. Desperation is fear. You fight the darkness because it is what frightens you" "Be quiet!" Riku declared before he lunged at Ansem, only to be repelled like before, yet this time, Riku landed on his feet. "Stubborn boy" Ansem commented, throwing another set of cards to Riku. "Then continue your fight, if you must. Eventually, you will learn. You cannot resist the darkness" Ansem said confidently before disappearing into the darkness yet again.

"Is it just me, or am I getting really annoyed with his preaching for the darkness?" Sairu said, his words dripping with spite. Yet, Riku stood there, staring into space ahead with his sword in one hand and the cards in the other. "Riku? Riku!" Sairu said rather loudly, which caused Riku to snap out of his thoughts. "Sorry. I was just thinking..." Riku said, avoiding eye contact with Sairu as he spoke. "About what?" Sairu asked in a stern voice. "What if... Ansem is right, and I do fear the darkness?" Riku said in a defeated tone of voice. "How can I keep fighting if I only feel afraid of the darkness? What good would my heart be if it's filled with this unbridled sense of fear? Will I ever be able to conquer it?" Riku questioned aloud.

"So you're afraid" Sairu summarised. There was a long pause from the silver-haired youth, before a slight nod of the head was his answer. "Riku, just because you are afraid of the darkness, doesn't mean you have to quit fighting it. If anything, it's because of your fear that you should fight" "What?" Riku asked puzzlingly. "One of the things I learnt growing up was that fear is natural, and is not something to be ashamed of whatsoever. If anything, fear and indecisiveness are signs of a strong heart in their own right. There was a time when I was petrified with fear myself: someone I didn't know at the time would have been struck down by the Heartless and I was afraid the same would happen to me. But that fear gave me the resolve to fight those dangerous creatures. The point is to accept your fears, but not succumb to them. A fighter who succumbs to fear is a hazard to themselves as well as their loved ones. You've dived into darkness, and you have seen what it holds for those who have and who will fall into its depths"

Sairu finished with a smile across his face, while Riku looked on dumbfounded at Sairu's pearl of wisdom. Eventually, Riku regained his composure and responded "Sairu... thanks for that. I guess I needed a pep talk. I never knew you were that deep" he added in a teasing manner. "Heh heh... you're not the first to have said that. I have my moments" Sairu responded, prompting the two to laugh together as if they had known each other all their lives. When the laughter died down, Riku gazed up at the door ahead of them, his renewed resolve burning like fire in his eyes. "You ready?" Riku asked. "You bet" Sairu replied, equally determined to continue, and the two friends proceeded on their way to the next card world.

Meanwhile, deeper within the castle, Zexion stood gazing at the crystal ball device, his mind still reeling from the shock of seeing his dear old friend after so many years. He gazed at the empty sphere before him, his face frozen with the shock and dread of having to meet Sairu again after all this time. He wasn't sure of anything now, but he knew he wasn't the same from when Sairu and him were simple children. How could he face him when he had no heart to feel joy, excitement, or even to cry or bellow in rage and frustration? In few ways, not having a heart was a blessing, but for the most part, it was a curse.

As Zexion stood like a statue, he didn't even register a hand clasping his shoulder firmly, yet somewhat comforting. Yet, he snapped out of his frozen state to turn to face his silent companion, Lexaeus. The look upon the latter's face was baffling: it seemed to be concerned, yet was firm and composed. "Lexaeus" Zexion said emptily. "I understand it is a great deal to take in; seeing the one you once called your best friend again after so long without his company. But, you must remind yourself of our mission, the mission that bound the Organization together in the first place" "The mission... Of course" Zexion said distractedly, as Lexaeus released his grip on his comrade's shoulder and walked away, resuming speaking as he did so.

"Once the Organization's objective has been fulfilled, what we do after that has not been determined as of yet" "What?" Zexion asked curiously. "Once you, I and all of the Organization have regained that which we have yearned for since our founding, you are welcome, undoubtedly, to return to the life you once had. Until then, maintain your focus on the present situation with this goal in mind for the future" Lexaeus explained, turning to face Zexion with the same unreadable expression upon his chiselled features.

Zexion took a moment to process everything that had been said, and realized Lexaeus was right: he couldn't let Sairu find him as he was now, a hollow vessel of the boy he once was, but once he was complete again, he would be able to rekindle his friendship with Sairu. That thought provided a great comfort for the Cloaked Schemer, causing him to unconsciously smile in a rather serene fashion. Lexaeus noticed this, but chose to ignore it, considering it a trick of the light. "Lexaeus... you have my thanks for reminding me that my friendship with him is not out of reach once I have become complete again" he said, attempting to sound grateful, but only to say his words in an empty voice as usual.

"It was necessary to keep you focused on the task at hand. Meanwhile, what are we to do with the neophytes above?" Lexaeus said, changing the subject. "I am unsure of what's occurring on the higher floors, but all I can ascertain is that Vexen has spent a great deal of time above. The Replica left with him, and hasn't been seen since" Zexion summarized. "The best thing to do at this time would be to monitor Riku's progress through the basement floors. We should consider preparations to counter Marluxia's plan, and these involve Riku. If Sairu is uncooperative, we may need to consider... a more permanent solution" At these words, Zexion froze with fear. But it was only a split second before he regained his composure and responded "That is if all other options fail. Frankly, I would prefer to keep him alive". "Why, it appears the Cloaked Schemer has a sense of morality after all" Lexaeus mockingly stated. Zexion simply gave him a dark glare, and turned away in absent disgust. Zexion darkly retorted "It matters not. Riku is our objective, so we will use this time to concoct a scheme around him, Sairu shall be dealt with accordingly in due time".


	5. Ties of camaraderie

Chapter 5- Ties of camaraderie

After clearing the next couple of card worlds, Sairu was suddenly feeling uneasy after travelling up the castle, and noticing there was no one around to greet them. In some ways, he was glad for the respite, but he was still wary of any potential impending danger. As Riku looked at his companion, he could seemingly sense his friend's uneasiness, and asked "Hey Sairu, are you ok? You seem kind of high strung" Sairu looked in his direction, seeming unsure of himself, then replied "Well, it's just... after meeting Vexen on the floor, I've had this nagging feeling. Before, I was too distracted to give it much thought, but now, they've ignored us for the time being, so this thought is all that's got me so high strung" "I'm not sure I understand the problem. What is this feeling that's bothering you?"

"Well, I guess I keep expecting to see Ienzo pop out of nowhere, dressed in that same black coat Vexen wore" Sairu answered, his uneasiness growing by the minute. Riku didn't know what to make of that, but he asked, regardless "Is Ienzo the kind of guy who pops out of nowhere, then?" "Nah, that's not his style: he's more subtle than that. I guess I expect to see him because I saw a figure from my past, and I think the same could happen again" "I see. You're just trying to avoid being surprised" Riku clarified understandingly. Sairu nodded in confirmation.

"Well, I'm curious. If it's all right with you, why don't you tell me about your past? Your friends, family, all that stuff. I've been kind of curious since we got here" Riku asked, changing the subject. "Well, there's a lot I could say. For one, I wasn't raised by my parents. I don't know what happened to them, except..." Sairu trailed off, leaving Riku's curiosity to blossom even more so "What?" he asked. He then noticed Sairu pull something out from his back pocket, and saw what appeared to be a scroll. "What's that?" Riku asked. "Not exactly sure, but what I do know is that it was written to me by my father" Sairu said, which left Riku momentarily stunned. "Well, then shouldn't you have read it by now, if it's that important?" "No. I was told not to until I spoke with someone who will know more about my past. I know who that is, and I will see them once we've left this castle" Sairu explained.

Riku seemed convinced by that answer, and decided to get back on track, asking "What about your friends? I kind of want to know if Kairi led a good life before coming to the islands" Riku asked in curiosity. "Well, where do I begin? I first met Ienzo when I was around four years old. Both of us were orphans, and the other kids would heckle us for that alone. Ienzo was at the mercy of a mutual bully of ours, and I couldn't stand by and let him get hurt. In the midst of that, I was protected in turn, thus sealing our friendship. It was after a short while of that we met and befriended Kairi, in a similar situation".

"Kairi was bullied as well?" Riku asked, concerned. Sairu, thankfully, shook his head and continued "No, that necklace Kairi wears was swiped by this mean kid for his own mother, but Ienzo and I tagged up on him and sent him running empty handed. We returned the necklace to her, and once we introduced ourselves to each other, we became as close as friends could be. Everything after that was the best time of my life, until... the incident" "Incident?" Riku asked curiously. "It was around a year after that, that our home was swallowed by the darkness. Ienzo was at the castle at the time, so I was unable to see him before our world disappeared. As for Kairi..."

_It was sheer bedlam. The once ravishing beauty of the gardens was horrifically torn asunder by the sudden emergence of the malevolent monsters that appeared as quickly as lightning struck. All over the town square, people were being chased relentlessly by the shadows, and sadly, some were taken captive and corrupted into the same form as the monsters that swamped their home. Amongst that crowd, a young boy and girl were running desperately, clutching each other's hand as they scoured the square for some form of shelter._

_But it was to no avail. All around them, the creatures engulfed as many people as they possibly could before people started to fight the creatures before they too were corrupted. The boy, a six year old Sairu, and one of his best friends, a five year old Kairi, ran hand in hand, frightened beyond all recognition. They eventually ceased their running to catch what breath they could, standing in the centre of the square, bearing witness to such horrific carnage all around. Kairi then looked to the sky, filled with black menacing clouds, each crackling with barely visible pulses of purple lightning._

_Then, he heard a scream emanate from his side, realising immediately it was Kairi, who noticed the dark creatures edging closer towards them at a fast pace. Seeing them approach, Sairu stepped in front of her, acting as a barrier to protect Kairi. "Don't! It's too dangerous!" Kairi yelled, but Sairu yelled in retaliation "NO! I won't let them hurt you!" Kairi stepped back as she heard his outburst, yet she felt strangely calmer at this outburst. Unbeknownst to the two children, the necklace around Kairi's neck began to glow faintly, a trail of light emanating towards the boy who had his back to her. He never noticed the light that entered his being, nor the fact that his beloved friend was now nowhere in sight or earshot._

_As he looked around, Sairu noticed to his relief, a familiar face: a tall and well-built young man with brown hair, a scar running across his face, and brandishing a gun-like sword. Faster than the eye could see, the dark creatures surrounding Sairu dissipated as instantly as his saviour's attack started. "Thank goodness you're safe! We're leaving, now! The ship's ready to go!" Leon declared in relief and urgency. "Let's go, Kairi" Sairu exclaimed joyfully, yet it instantly turned to horror when he saw she wasn't there anymore. "Kairi? Kairi!? Where are you!? KAIRI!" he yelled despairingly, but Leon grabbed him and began tearing through the streets to the launch bay for the ship. _

_All the while, Sairu continuously yelled for Kairi and Ienzo until his voice was hoarse, and his heart breaking at their absence. In next to no time, all were present aboard Cid's humongous gummi ship, and they flew off into interspace together. All the while, Sairu gazed, out of the cockpit window at the ruined and despairing world they departed, his heart experiencing the same cataclysm of despair as their old home. Aerith was at his side, and was there to embrace him as he cried endlessly until the overwhelming surge of sadness engulfed him completely, before he fell into an inky blackness, and knew no more._

After recounting the moment he was separated from his friends, Riku was horrified at the pandemonium Sairu endured at such a young age. "I'm so sorry. That must have been traumatic. Though, in a way, I lost my home to darkness, though it was my fault more than anything else" he said sympathetically. "Thank you, but it doesn't bother me as much as it used to. I know now, through our ties of camaraderie, our hearts will be reunited again in future. I found Kairi again, and I know I will find Ienzo too" Sairu said, actually sounding sure of himself. This earned him an understanding smile from Riku, who then said "Well then, if you know that, ready to keep going?" "You know it!" Sairu declared confidently. Then, Riku turned in the direction of the stairway ahead of them, seeming distracted.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Sairu asked. "A scent of darkness just vanished. It was that Vexen guy we met below. Sorry" Riku added sympathetically. Sairu merely shrugged his shoulders and said dismissively "It's not that big a deal. Sure I knew him, but he and I were hardly close". "Still, don't you feel kind of sorry for his demise?" Riku replied curiously. "Sure I do, but we weren't there when it happened, so it doesn't affect us a great deal. Let's keep going" Sairu said simply, and the two friends continued on their way up the stairs.

In the darker refuges of the castle, Zexion was standing in a contemplative mood regarding the plans for Riku. At the same time, he was distracted by the now non-existent scent of their comrade, Vexen. Then, a dark corridor appeared, and Lexaeus appeared, immediately speaking "Vexen is no more" "Yes, his scent is gone" Zexion responded, before sounding disappointed as he spoke "Axel struck him down... something I find deplorable- members of the Organization striking each other down" he finished, looking at the floor beneath his feet in disappointment.

"Our problem is Sora" Lexaeus said dismissively, gaining Zexion's interest. "Vexen proved no match for him, yet he's still under Naminé's control" "But we cannot defeat Sora, can we?" he said elusively. "Correct. For our Superior- he is in dire need of the hero of light" Lexaeus said, folding his arms. "When light loses sight of its path- we may find use for the dark. What we must do is obtain the darkness" he said, closing his hand in a clawing gesture. "Riku... Of course" Zexion said, though he seemed distracted, still having not dismissed Sairu's likelihood of intervention.

"Have you devised a suitable scheme regarding Riku's capture?" Zexion asked in curiosity. Lexaeus simply gave him a stalwart look, which seemed to Zexion he had an idea. "Once the two have emerged from the last of the card worlds, I shall confront the hero of darkness and take him away to break into a puppet. Should Sairu intervene... I may be forced to remove him for good" Lexaeus explained, though his last words instilled shock from his indigo-haired companion. Zexion appeared ready to protest concerning Sairu, but knew Lexaeus was as stubborn in his decisions as he was stalwart. "It is foolish to confront Riku at present. Though he does not carry the power of a Keyblade, he is still a danger to the Organization as a whole. There is a great likelihood that you will meet your end because of your rash decision. Yet, I'm aware of your tendency to make and stick to a decision, so go. Do as you wish" Zexion said, outlining the faults of Lexaeus's decision, who defiantly went to prepare himself for the battle ahead.

After his departure, Zexion was left alone to his own thoughts. Though he tried countless times to remind himself of his goal in future to rekindle his friendship with Sairu, his mind was now teeming with memories and feelings of the halcyon days of their childhood together. He recalled the gutsy, energetic but polite boy he acknowledged as his friend, and just as feelings of doubt took root inside, the joy of his days with his closest friends blossomed within. 'Even though I am incomplete, I am surprisingly at ease when the memories of my childhood flash in my mind. Kairi... Sairu... Will we ever be together again?' Zexion thought to himself longingly, looking skyward at images of his friends, not the dark ceiling.


	6. Dark truths

Chapter 6- Dark truths

After finally clearing the last of the cards they possessed, Riku and Sairu emerged in the next floor, and were met by a tall, well-built man dressed in a black cloak, with auburn hair slicked back in messy, uneven spikes. In his right hand, he balanced a giant axe-like weapon, yet seemed reminiscent of a sword. Sairu was aware of their adversary's identity: like with Vexen previously, he knew this individual's name: "Aeleus" Sairu uttered in surprise. At this, Lexaeus awoke from his reverie, glancing in Sairu's direction, before he shook his head. "No longer do I bear the name of Aeleus. Now, I am Lexaeus, and as you must already know that I am part of the Organization, the same as Vexen before me. Regardless, it was certainly a surprise to see a familiar face, especially for my comrade" "Comrade? Do you mean that-" Sairu said but Lexaeus interrupted "Indeed. Ienzo is the comrade of whom I speak" "Then, where is he?" Sairu asked pleadingly. "Continue your trek through the castle, and he will appear. But understand: he is not the same friend you once cherished" Lexaeus explained in an empty voice.

Hearing this, Sairu's once limp fingers tightened into fists, a flash of anger in his eyes. "Why does everyone keep saying that?" he growled. At this, Lexaeus directed his gaze towards Riku and said "You've done well thus far. But to possess your powers and yet fear the darkness... What a waste" he coldly remarked, angering Riku as well. "I do not... fear it!" he exclaimed shakily. "I sense that you do" Lexaeus retorted. "You're also capable of controlling the darkness. Cast away your useless fear. Open your heart. Embrace the darkness" he added.

"And if I say no?" Riku asked. "Then you lose both light and darkness- and disappear!" Lexaeus declared before he became shrouded in a dark and powerful that shook the very ground they stood on. After this display of power, Lexaeus stood straight again, saying "I, Lexaeus, will not yield to the frail heart- of an infantile coward! Now stop resisting" and as he said so, he swung his weapon to hold it in his grip for combat, finishing with the line "and let the darkness in!" Once again, Sairu was reduced into a card, leaving Riku to counter Lexaeus's immeasurable strength alone. Thankfully, Riku called Sairu out and unleashed his Shining Blast technique (where he spins his sword in a full circle and unleashes a disc of white energy when swung). This technique caused enough damage to stun Lexaeus momentarily, allowing Riku the opportunity to strike him down.

After the battle, all three combatants were exhausted, though with a swing of his large weapon, both Sairu and Riku were sent flying. Both were rendered unconscious, their weapons lying close by: Sairu was slumped against the wall, whilst Riku was face down at the centre after being thrown to the ceiling. "You were too much trouble" Lexaeus said, sounding irritated as he approached Riku. Then, to his surprise, Riku's attire changes as he rose to his knees, collects his sword and then, faster than the eye could see: he struck Lexaeus ruthlessly, who dropped his weapon with a loud bang in shock. Riku stood on one knee, brandishing his sword with a cocky smirk. "Too slow" he remarked in a possessed manner.

Lexaeus stumbled and said "You are the Superior's-" but stopped when he noticed darkness surround him. "Forgive me, Zexion. This was a fight I should not have started" he lamented as he faded into darkness, leaving a cocky Riku to smirk in triumph before he fell unconscious. Unknown to the unconscious boys, the pendant around Sairu's neck began to glow, and emitted a beam of light that shot towards Riku's limp form.

Once Sairu opened his eyes, he found he was surrounded by swirling clouds of darkness. As he looked around, he then noticed, below him, was an unconscious Riku. Then, that dreaded voice spoke again: "I see you now... clearly" This woke Riku with a start, and asked in his confusion "Lexaeus?!" "Riku... I can see your heart..." the voice spoke again. Riku realised with a pang who this voice belonged to. "No... it's not. Darkness this foul could only... only be-" "That's it, remember me... Let me drift into your heart..." the voice responded snidely. "Ansem!" Riku exclaimed, prompting the voice in question to laugh evilly, sending shivers down Sairu's spine. "You called out my name. You have been thinking about me... You're afraid of the darkness I command. Good... The more you think of me, the closer my return draws. And when I have awoken, I will take hold..." as the voice spoke, the entity himself appeared from the dark, triumphantly exclaiming "Your heart will be mine!"

At this, Sairu descended upon the scene, and exclaimed, as Riku feebly attempted to escape Ansem's approaching hand "Riku! Don't give in!" and as Sairu appeared beside his friend, another voice appeared to help "Riku, fight! Don't let him win!" the King's voice exclaimed. "Your Majesty! Sairu!" Riku said surprised as an apparition of King Mickey appeared alongside Sairu to shield Riku from Ansem's clutches, holding out their arms, looking at Ansem with determined gazes to protect their friend. "You meddlesome fools!" Ansem angrily declared, and the scene became enveloped in a bright light. The next time Riku and Sairu opened their eyes, they were in the same room they had collapsed in from their battle with Lexaeus.

As the two boys rose to their feet, Riku turned to Sairu and said "Sairu... You protected me. But how?" "I don't know, but what matters is that the King and I protected you from him. Don't fight the darkness alone. We're your friends, after all, the King and I" Sairu said reassuringly. Riku smiled, touched by Sairu's admittance of their friendship. Then, Riku looked around, calling "Your Majesty, where are you? Please answer!" Then Riku stopped and placed his hand on his chest where his heart was "You're with me too, aren't you?" he asked knowingly. "Well, are you ready to keep going?" Sairu asked. "Yeah. Let's go. We've got a friend of yours to look out for" Riku responded and the two friends continued on their way to the next floor.

Elsewhere, Zexion was as per usual, locked in his contemplative mood again, only to be interrupted by an anomaly: the disappearance of the odour of darkness that belonged to Lexaeus. "Lexaeus is gone as well..." he said, as a corridor of darkness appeared before him, revealing a tall and lean-built man dressed in a black cloak with form-fitting sleeves. His long hair was a bright red colour and grew up and down in nearly all directions. He had shocking emerald green eyes, and his face featured two tear drop marks placed symmetrically on his cheeks.

"Vexen, Larxene, Lexaeus... I wonder who will be next in line?" he said in a rather teasing voice. "I thought perhaps it might be you" Zexion replied in a vague joking manner of his own. The red-haired man smirked at this, and turned his back to his partner in crime. "Me? No way. I already took my pounding from Sora. He thinks I'm done for good" he responded light-heartedly, before sounding serious as he spoke again "Nope, I think it will be Marluxia next. For defying the Organization and targeting Sora. I hope he moves exactly as his heart commands him to" he said, before turning to face Zexion again and said, changing the subject "So, what about you? I thought you guys had plans for Riku." "Yes. We were going to set him off against the traitors... But with Marluxia gone, there is no more need. He is nothing but a nuisance now" Zexion explained.

"And he's dangerous as well. After all, he took down Lexaeus" the red haired man agreed. "You know that is not how I do things" Zexion said, before asking "Tell me, did you obtain the data on Riku's home?" his red-haired ally produced a card and threw it to Zexion, who caught it and looked at it, confirming it was indeed a card of Riku's home, the Destiny Islands. "Also, have you considered what to do about your old friend who is with Riku as we speak? If you like, I can keep him busy while you deal with Riku" Red suggested in a serious tone of voice. "That will not be necessary. I shall deal with Sairu and Riku at the same time. I cannot hide myself from those two any longer" Zexion replied. Red didn't seem convinced by his answer.

"Are you sure you can bring yourself to face him after all this time?" he asked questioningly. Zexion simply gave him an unreadable look, but responded "How can I feel remorse for any actions? Without what we banded together for, I have nothing to restrain myself. It was inevitable that we were to meet again, albeit in circumstances I did not predict. Surely you understand striking your comrades down better than anyone, Axel?" At this, Axel gave a dejected look as he folded his arms and replied "The circumstances are different. Vexen was simply a nuisance; Sairu and you are bound by something stronger than simply being comrades. Besides, despite your efforts to act all emotionless, I know you couldn't strike him down if your life depended on it" "Regardless of your opinion, that is the dark truth of reality: when your closest friend becomes your enemy, you must accept the circumstances that led to the two of you choosing different paths" Zexion retorted. "Despite our past together, we have walked different paths" "Sure, whatever you say. If there's anything I know about two different paths, is that they will cross again" Axel said as he disappeared into another corridor of darkness. Zexion merely snorted at this remark, but caught himself and stopped: it took him by surprise, the second thing to cause such shock within him after seeing Sairu was close by. 'How did I just snort at Axel's remark? It appears that circumstances have changed' he thought, as he disappeared in a dark corridor, his destination: Riku, the hero of darkness and Sairu, the light of the moon.


	7. Heartless reunion

Chapter 7- Heartless reunion

As Riku and Sairu emerged in the next floor, the duo were suddenly met with a massive quake that shook their surroundings. Once it died down, Sairu asked, out of shock "What on earth was that?" Riku then sniffed the air and answered "One of the scents of darkness just died. It was a very strong one, too" "But I wonder why that happened?" Sairu asked, until a voice responded, one that sent his mind into blank shock. "I'll fill that question for you" Thought it was different, he instantly knew whose voice it was, and it was confirmed when the owner of the voice appeared via a dark corridor, revealing a steel grey-blue haired teenaged boy dressed in yet another black cloak. He appeared with an amazingly composed look as he gazed upon the two boys that stood before him.

Focusing his attention on Riku first, he explained "The keeper of this castle, Marluxia, has just been felled by the Keyblade master" Now it was Riku's turn to be shocked. "Keyblade... You mean Sora! Sora is here?!" he queried, alarmed. "Yes. Want to see him? But... can you face him?" Zexion queried himself. "What's that mean?" Riku asked confused, all the while, Sairu frozen in place gazing upon his best friend ahead of them. "The world of darkness, and Ansem's shadow, still nest in your heart. Do you plan to face Sora like that? Are you not ashamed?" this earned him a growl from Riku, but Zexion continued "Sora's fate is to battle the darkness. He must oppose anyone who hosts the dark- in other words, it's you. If you don't believe the words I say..." As he spoke, he produced a card and tossed it to Riku who caught it "Then you had best see the truth with your own eyes" Zexion finished. "This card! This is our-" Riku started. "Yes. It is your home. However, this time, you will traverse the card world alone. I have other matters to attend to concerning your companion and... the one time best friend of mine" he added, attempting to sound cryptic, but Riku sussed out the meaning behind his words.

"That means you're... Ienzo, aren't you?" Riku added in a surprised tone of voice, and turned to face Sairu, who remained still as a statue, gazing ahead at the individual in a black cloak, a look of shock adorning his face. Zexion merely disappeared for an instant to reappear right in front of Sairu, and turning to Riku, he said "Feel free to revisit your old home. I have some catching up to do with my old friend" he said. Riku attempted to protest, saying in futility "Sairu! Run!" But Sairu seemed not to have heard them, and placing a hand on Sairu's shoulder, Zexion surrounded the two in a corridor of darkness and disappeared. Riku looked on where his friend once stood, paralysed with shock, and realized it was hopeless. "Don't worry, Sairu... I'll find you again. I'm not leaving you here alone" he said determinedly, and approached the door above, using the card to gain access to the Destiny Islands.

Meanwhile, in the darker, secluded rooms of the castle, a corridor of darkness appeared and Zexion and Sairu were deposited before the darkness disappeared around them. After this little trip, Sairu fell to the ground, ending up in a seated position, still frozen with shock. "Yes, that was the same expression that bore my face when I discovered you were here in the castle. It has indeed been a long time since we were last united, Sairu" "It... really is you... Ienzo" Sairu managed in a weak voice. Zexion merely closed his eyes at the utterance of his old name, and callously responded "Not anymore. Ienzo was my name, but I am now Zexion, the Organization's number 6. As with Vexen and Lexaeus before me, I am only but an empty shell of the boy you once befriended"

"What do you mean? You're still Ienzo, you remember who I am, and from what you said, you're as shocked to see me as I am to see you" Sairu said defiantly in a stronger voice as he rose to his feet. "I was indeed, but the truth of the matter is I have no emotions to feel" Zexion said dismissively. "That's just hypocritical. How can you say you don't have emotions if you felt shocked at seeing me again?" Sairu said. "Regardless, if you are here to rescue me, then cease your efforts. If you value your life, you will leave this castle and myself behind" Sairu couldn't believe what he was hearing: leave without him? "Why? After all I went through to find you? Don't you want to come back? Our home belongs to us again, and I swore I wouldn't return to my brother until I found you. You don't know how much I missed you and Kairi more than anything else" Sairu said, hurt evident in his voice.

Zexion's posture lowered at this: he had been expecting Sairu to be stubborn in his desire to save him. With that, Zexion rose his head, and in a saddened voice "Sairu... it's too late. As much as I would return with you, I cannot. Look at me" he said gazing at his hands sadly. "I am only a Nobody, a creature that has no heart to feel joy, sadness, or rage. For us Nobodies, we were never meant to exist in the first place, yet we still do. Furthermore... I'm doing this to protect you" "Protect me?" Sairu asked, confused. "My remaining colleagues in the Organization will pursue you and Riku for your role in our colleagues' demises in this castle. Returning with you will arouse suspicion, and everyone close to you will become a target, including... Kairi" At the utterance of their friend's name, Sairu realized his words were true. Now he knew about Kairi's special existence, she was likely to be a target by these Organization people.

"Wait. What exactly is a Nobody? And how does one become a Nobody?" Sairu asked, wondering what exactly that meant. Zexion merely sighed, and began explaining, "To begin with, you know when someone succumbs to the darkness in their heart, that person becomes a being known as a Heartless, correct?" Sairu nodded, prompting Zexion to continue "What you probably did not know is that the amount of darkness in one's heart determines the strength of the Heartless that is born. For myself and my comrades, our inner darkness was powerful to say the least, and thus we gave birth to powerful Heartless. But consider this: if you also possess an exceptionally strong will, one also creates a Nobody, where the remaining body and spirit live on and act of their own accord. Additionally, unlike the Heartless who rely on instinct, we Nobodies are capable of rational thought and understanding. To summarize, a Nobody can be born through strong will when we succumb to darkness" he finished

"But... if you know all this, why tell me? Divulging such knowledge could be seen as treason, and then you'll..." Sairu's voice trailed off as he considered the unthinkable."Do not worry. I plan to keep up appearances. Besides, this information is hardly confidential. And with that, I shall go to Riku. If that is the proof of my loyalty to the Organization, then I must fulfil it" Zexion raised a hand and a corridor of darkness appeared. "Remain here. I will return" Zexion instructed as he took his leave via the dark corridor. Sairu stood there, his mind filled with conflicting thoughts: his friend gave him new information, and yet, was going to finish off his other friend. But it was too late: Sairu couldn't pursue him now to stop him. With that, Sairu decided to take some time to rest, feeling physically and mentally exhausted. With that, he went and propped himself up against the wall, allowing his eyelids to close, and fell asleep, his mind buzzing with memories of the past together with Ienzo and Kairi.

Meanwhile, in Destiny Islands, Riku was running frantically, having encountered illusions of his friends from the islands, only for them to disappear before his very eyes. Now he was returning to the paopu tree on the stretch of land that was connected by a single bridge. As he ran towards it, he sensed something behind him, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. As he turned to look behind him, he was greeted by another familiar face: his other best friend, Kairi. "Kairi..." he said, and asked her "Hey Kairi! Are you-" until he witnessed her disappear before him like with the others. "Ah..." he simply said, feeling dejected "No!" he said, until a familiar voice spoke from behind him: "Surely, you knew this would happen" Zexion said, eyeing Riku with disdain. "You've been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one. And in those worlds, you only met dark beings. That's all that's left in your heart: dark memories. Your memories of home are gone-each and every one" he continued accusingly.

"That's a lie! I remember everyone from the islands!" Riku shouted in retaliation. "Tidus and Selphie and Wakka! Kairi and Sora, too! They're my... my... closest friends..." he finished, ashamed. This did not dissuade Zexion however, who continued his calm accusation "And who threw away those friends? Maybe it's your own actions that you've forgotten. You destroyed your home!" At these words, the world around them were engulfed in darkness, to be replaced by a remnant of the islands beneath their feet, surrounded by swirling clouds of darkness. "This is... that night!" Riku said, shocked at the unforgettable storm that once consumed their home. "All of the islands you grew up on were sundered, scattered. Many hearts were forever lost to the darkness. Because of what YOU did!" Zexion exclaimed scathingly, pointing to his left, where a second Riku appeared, gazing upon the devastation around him. "You hated being an islander so you opened the door to darkness and destroyed the islands. It was YOU!" he exclaimed again, as he continued prosecuting Riku "You were pulled into darkness then, and now you belong to the darkness. You should look- look at what you truly are!" Zexion declared as he disappeared. With that, the second Riku began to change shape, his form engulfed by the embrace of darkness and emerged from its depths as a giant Heartless, identical to the ones he had encountered in the realm of darkness before sealing the door to darkness. "This... This can't be who I really am!" Riku shouted despairingly as he drew his sword, ready to fight.


	8. Tearful partings

Chapter 8- Tearful partings

After defeating the giant Heartless that appeared before him, Riku was left exhausted from the fight. As he caught his breath, he looked over and notices someone familiar staring out ahead of them, gazing upon the destruction that laid ahead: it was none other than Sora, Riku's best friend and rival. "Sora?!" Riku called in surprise, but he did not respond. "Sora!" he called again, and still no response. With the lack of response unnerving him, Riku slowly approached his long time friend, and asked "Sora, it's me-" Riku attempted to say, only for Sora to all of a sudden turn around and attack him with his Keyblade. Thankfully, Riku had drawn his sword in the nick of time, confused over Sora's uncharacteristic behaviour. "Stop it, Sora! Don't you recognize me?" Riku asked, to which Sora angrily replied "Yeah, I recognise you. I can see exactly what you've become!" he exclaimed as he withdrew.

Once he regained his footing, Sora then struck Riku with a beam of light from his Keyblade, which Riku failed to block or dodge in time, and fell back with a thump. "How can the light hurt you? Riku... Have you really become a creature of the dark?" Sora added, sounding confused and saddened at the same time. "You're not Riku anymore... You're just a pawn of the darkness" Sora stated sadly as Riku recovered from the last attack, looking at his friend, who wore a dejected expression upon his face. Then, to his surprise "So be it. It's time for you to face the light!" he declared whilst he hoisted his Keyblade skyward, and it shone with a blinding radiance that took Riku completely by surprise. As he closed his eyes, Riku felt like he was falling yet gently surrounded by the light Sora's Keyblade conjured.

"I'm... fading..." he said in a content and calm voice. "Fading away... into the light" as his form became immersed in the light's glow. Then, to his surprise, a voice called out to him, a familiar voice. And, within the light, Kairi appeared before his eyes saying "You won't fade. You can't fade. There's no power that can defeat you- not the light, not the dark. So don't run from the light- and don't fear the darkness. Because both will make you stronger" "Make me stronger? Darkness too?" Riku asked, sounding confused. "Yeah" Kairi confirmed "Strength that's yours. The darkness inside your heart- it's vast and it's deep... But if you can truly stare into it and never try to look away, you won't be afraid of anything again" "All this time, I've tried to push the darkness away-" Riku said in a realizing tone of voice. "You've just got to remember to be brave. Know that the darkness is there and don't give in. If you do that, you will find strength- the kind that's unlike any other. You'll be able to escape the deepest darkness-" Kairi said until Riku finished the sentence for her "-And I'll be able to see through the brightest light-" "Follow the darkness. It'll show you the way to your friends" "Can I face them?" Riku asked wonderingly. "You don't want to?" Kairi asked, and Riku sincerely answered "You know I do. Of course" With that, Kairi gave Riku a satisfied and gentle smile before fading away. "And I will! With my strength- my dark strength!" he confidently declared as he appeared from darkness, standing in the white void. "Darkness!" he exclaimed, and darkness shrouded him, changing him into his dark attire. With his transformation complete, Riku swung his blade through the light, to re-emerge on the ruins of the island he stood on previously.

"Impossible!" a pained Sora said as he clutched his side in pain, though he spoke with a different voice, as Sora was enveloped in darkness, and Zexion collapsed to one knee in Sora's place, reeling from the pain Riku inflicted upon him. "How is it that you found me when you were there in the light?" he said in a pained expression as he turn to face Riku. "You reek of darkness. Even the light can't block the smell" Riku said in a matter-of-fact voice. "I guess I just followed the darkness right to you" he added while smirking. "This is absurd..." Zexion said, shaking his clenched fist in anger. "Then I shall make you see... That your hopes are nothing- nothing but a mere illusion!" Zexion angrily exclaimed, and battle began between the combatants.

Zexion was considerably powerful, even with Riku utilising the full extent of his dark power, being able to steal Riku's cards and use them himself, creating numerous illusions to deceive his opponent. But after an arduous battle, Zexion was overwhelmed by the darkness that Riku wielded. Down on one knee once more, Zexion, in a satisfied tone of voice, said to him "After all your protests, you're still like us, on the side of darkness" "I know who I am" Riku retaliated, yet this did not deter Zexion "When did that happen?" he asked, rising to his feet as he spoke "You were always terrified of the darkness before-" "Not anymore!" Riku interrupted, as he ran full pelt and struck Zexion with another strike. In his pain and fright, Zexion disappeared into a corridor of darkness, while Riku looked on, wearing a determined expression as he regained his original attire, and proceeded on his way through the islands.

Back in the dark retreats of the castle, Sairu recently awoke from his somewhat peaceful slumber in time to bear witness to Zexion's return, as he clutched his side in pain, wearing an expression of anger and pain. "What IS he?! No one's EVER worn the darkness the way that he does! It's impossible!" he said, as he struck the wall with his fist in frustration. "Riku did this to you then?" Sairu asked, concerned. "Indeed..." Zexion said through gritted teeth "He has now abandoned all fear of the dark, and has welcomed it into his heart. Yet, he wears it like it's nothing! How?" At hearing this, Sairu was glad to hear that Riku no longer feared the darkness, but was torn at seeing the pain his other friend was in right now. Just as he attempted to draw his weapon to heal him, a dark corridor opened, revealing Riku clad in his dark attire, with another figure dressed in a black cloak with form-fitting sleeves and bright red hair with piercing emerald eyes.

Sairu immediately recognised him: the high-spirited teen from his home who always said a certain line to ensure others remembered him for whatever reason. Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, inside, Sairu related to him in the same way with being remembered. Yet, all he could focus on was seeing him again, despite that he was no longer surprised, being reunited with familiar faces from the past. He then noticed Riku giving him a rather dirty look, and then concluded that it wasn't Riku, but the Replica they encountered a while back. Zexion appeared terrified at his appearance, but relaxed once he realized it was the Replica as well. "Oh... Oh, yes. The Replica, of course. We can use this Riku to defeat the real one" he said sounding confident, until he noticed Axel's stiff posture. "Axel?" Zexion asked questioningly.

"Wouldn't you like to be real?" Axel asked flatly, addressing the Replica, who slowly nodded. "All you need is the kind of power that the real Riku doesn't have. If you can get that, you can be a new person- not Riku, nor anybody else. You won't just be a copy of someone. You will be unique, you OWN self" "Axel! What are you saying to him?!" Zexion asked in confusion and anger again. "You know, he's as good a place to start as any" Axel added nonchalantly, gesturing to Zexion. As the Replica ran to Zexion, however, an obstacle stood between them: Sairu, wielding his blade in his left hand, a look of ferocity gleaming in his eyes. "Out of the way" the Replica demanded. Sairu simply ignored him, but then, Zexion, in his confusion asked Sairu "Why?..." he said quietly, until his voice rose "Why would you save me after all I've done to you?! I'm not the friend you once remembered, so why?!" "Because you're the last remnant of my friend" Zexion froze at Sairu's response. Sairu continued "I'd never forgive myself if I couldn't preserve what is left of you. You may be a Nobody, but you're the Nobody of my best friend. So, whether you like it or not, you're still my friend no matter what you say. I will protect you" Sairu confidently declared, before single-mindedly setting his sight on the Replica before him.

"Mind if I take his power as well?" the Replica addressed Axel, who simply shrugged his shoulders at the request. "Do what you want to do. You're you, after all" and with that, he decided to lean against the wall, getting a front-row seat at the action. Sairu and the Replica began an intense battle, both of their assets being swift and powerful strikes of their blades. If it wasn't for his years of training, Sairu may have fallen right at the get-go, but he was holding his own against the Replica of his friend remarkably well. It was practically eternal, each parrying their opponent's blows, then attempting to strike one another, and back to parrying the attacks again. Then, to Sairu's horror, the Replica found an opening, and sent Sairu flying with a kick into the wall beside Zexion. The latter could only watch in horror, as he had done with the entire battle. With that, the Replica withdrew his blade, and addressed Sairu "Not bad at all. You're a lot stronger than I thought. But now... it's over!" he exclaimed as he charged at Sairu, holding his left hand out, ready to strike and take his strength.

Sairu was too disoriented to move out of range or even attempt to block. As he watched his opponent running towards him, his mind flashed images of key events in his life: his first time training with his brother, a dismal birthday celebration, and images of his most cherished friends: his companions through the castle, the silver-haired hero of darkness, Riku, and the King of Disney castle, Mickey; Sora, the spiky haired goof who always smiled, Donald, the temperamental duck magician, Goofy, the kind and surprisingly reasonable knight; and most of all, Kairi, the red-haired princess, and last but not least, Ienzo, the blue-haired brother from another mother. With those thoughts, he felt content at waiting for the inevitable to happen, to feel the iron grip of his adversary's fingers clasp around his neck, and resigned himself to his fate. But, after some time elapsed, he felt no such grip. And once he opened his eyes, his confusion was resolved, if only to be replaced by horror: the Replica's iron grip was around Zexion's neck as opposed to his.

The Replica was enveloped by a menacing blue aura until he released his grip around Zexion's neck, and turned to Axel. Axel simply gave Zexion a mocking smirk, coldly remarking "So sorry, Zexion. You just found out way too much" he said as he disappeared via dark corridor with the Replica in tow. After their departure, Sairu peeled himself off the wall and ran to Zexion as he fell backwards. Sairu managed to catch him before he hit the ground, resting his head in his right hand as he kneeled over him. Sairu gazed upon the face of his saviour and best friend in horror, tears threatening to flow from his eyes, who gave him an exhausted yet satisfied smile upon his lips. His body was slowly fading away into darkness, but gave it no notice as he remained in Sairu's arms.

"Why...?" was all Sairu could manage with his arid dry mouth. Zexion merely sniggered at this and remarked in disjointed sentences "I guess... like you... I couldn't... let go of our past... To see you die... would destroy me... I joined the Organization to regain... my heart" he struggled to say. This only increased the horror within Sairu's heart as he pieced together what that meant "Then... you were..." Sairu murmured in shock but Zexion interrupted "Indeed... Once I had a heart, I had planned... to come back... to you and Kairi... like old times... Now, I will fade... into darkness, an incomplete being" "No" Sairu said defiantly, as the first tears streaked his cheeks. Zexion simply gazed at him in confusion. "You were never incomplete, even now..." he sobbed as he spoke, the tears cascading his cheeks in a torrent "Kairi and I were always with you. You didn't need a heart to remain our friend. We would have given you a new heart ourselves, filling your void with our souls" At hearing this, Zexion's confusion turned into a serene smile, clearly having been touched by his friend's words.

"Sairu... Thank you..." Zexion said, on the verge of tears himself. "I... understand now... I always had..." and soon, he disappeared from Sairu's arms altogether, though his last words lingered on "... a heart" With him, Sairu's arms fell uselessly to his side, remaining in that kneeling position for some time. The tears didn't stop falling as Sairu remained there, drowning in despair over the loss of his dear friend. He then yelled as loud as he possibly could, overwhelmed by the sadness that consumed him from inside. Once he stopped screaming, Sairu then blankly stared at the ceiling with tear-stricken eyes, hoping to see his memories of Ienzo flash before his eyes again, but not this time. As he returned his gaze to in front of him, he noticed the darkness had not faded, but instead, what was presumably the residue of Zexion's being formed into a corridor of darkness before him. As he rose to his feet, Sairu walked absentmindedly into its depths, unsure of where it would take him, nor caring in the slightest. For him, everything now seemed as dark as that room he was in, the room... of endings.


	9. Choices to make

Chapter 9- Choices to make

After leaving the Destiny Islands behind, Riku continued on in his journey, until a familiar voice spoke to him, calling his name in an almost gleeful manner. "Riku... Riku..." "Who's there?" Riku exclaimed, as the voice responded cockily. "I know you can feel it... The grip that I have on your heart" At these words, Riku placed a hand over his chest as Ansem's cocky voice continued "You have let in the darkness, Riku. That means, very soon, your heart will be an all-consuming darkness" "I'm not like that now!" Riku retaliated, but this did not deter the nefarious entity in the slightest. "Yes, you are" Suddenly, a brief flash of darkness engulfed Riku, and he was frozen in place with outstretched arms, as if he were bound by invisible shackles. "Can't move!" he said, struggling to even move, as darkness emanated from his petrified form. "The deeper the darkness runs inside you, the stronger I become. Controlling you is effortless" Ansem's mocking voice stated.

Then, a golden light appeared and entered Riku's being, seemingly causing Ansem pain, as the blinding light consumed their surroundings. "Urrghhh... Must you interfere again?!" Ansem said before he fell silent once more. Unbeknownst to Riku, a corridor of darkness appeared behind him, and a familiar figure stood in the light as it faded. Then, to Riku's surprise, a familiar voice spoke cheerily "Phew! Sure glad I made it in time! That oughta keep Ansem busy for a while" As Riku recovered, he turned to follow the voice, and was greeted by two people he was glad to see: the first was King Mickey, but unlike the previous instances where he was a projection, this time he stood in a physical form. Behind him stood Sairu, whose empty gaze didn't seem to register his two friends; he simply stood, his vacant stare focused seemingly on the floor.

Although Riku was overjoyed to see them both safe, he was nonetheless concerned for Sairu's well-being, his statue-like stature unnerving him. King Mickey seemed to understand Riku's unnerved aura, and turned to face Sairu, concerned for his well-being as well. As they slowly approached him, Sairu turned his face towards them, his vacant expression unchanging. "Sairu... Did something happen?" Riku asked, attempting to sound cautious for fear of worsening his friend's devastated state of mind. Thankfully, Sairu responded, his voice filled with melancholy "He's gone..." he said. "You mean... Zexion?" Riku said. At the name, Sairu's posture shook violently, his face contorted with a mixture of sadness and defeat. "I... I swore to protect him... I failed... he sacrificed himself... to save me... After I promised to return... with him at my side... for Kairi's sake" he clenched his fists so tightly they almost instantly turned white.

At this, King Mickey summoned his Keyblade, and a white light shone at its tip, which he aimed at Sairu, who was engulfed in the same aura and fell forwards. "Sairu?! Are you alright? Sairu!" Riku said as he attempted to awaken his friend, but the King placed a hand on his shoulder, saying "It's okay, Riku. Sairu's just asleep. That spell I placed on him is something like anaesthesia, he'll be out for a little while. If he had been left in that state, it would have only gotten worse, so I had to do something to help him" King Mickey explained. At this, Riku turned to face the King with an understanding look, which soon turned into joy as he reached for the King's face "Whoa" King Mickey exclaimed surprised "That tickles!" "This time, you're not an illusion. I'm so glad you could make it here" Riku said in overwhelming surprise. "I made a promise to you that I would find a way, didn't I?" Mickey rebutted jovially, and was surprised to see Riku suddenly collapse to the ground, sitting on the floor.

"Ahh... I'm okay. Don't worry. I'm just relieved. Apart from Sairu, I've- I've been alone so long that having another friendly face around is a little... overwhelming" he said as he sat on the ground, looking rather sheepish. Then, he asked King Mickey "But... uh, how did you make it here? I thought it was too far" "I found a card to help me" the King answered, showing a card to Riku, with its image depicting an unfamiliar world which was seemingly depicted during the sunset. "I needed a way out of the realm of darkness, and then suddenly, this card appeared right in front of me. When I picked it up, I could see your heart beyond the darkness. That's what let me find you. I guess the card thought its place was to be with you" the King explained as he handed the card to Riku who took it in his own hand and looked upon it thoughtfully "Maybe you're right..." he said, before he rose to his feet and pocketed the card, as he approached the unconscious Sairu who laid face first behind him.

"Can we do anything for him, Your Majesty?" Riku asked as he looked upon the sleeping Sairu. The King turned to face him and said "Sorry, Riku. There isn't anything to be done now. Sairu needs to regain the will to continue again on his own. We may be his friends, but we have to let him recover himself" "But, it doesn't feel right to leave him in this state. He lost his best friend. That would destroy anyone from the inside" Riku argued, wishing he could help him. The King sadly shook his head, and reiterated "That's true, but Sairu's strong. He can't get stronger if he doesn't learn to face this pain alone. After that, he'll be alright, I know it" in a determined voice. "Maybe... Your Majesty, do you think you can take care of him?" Riku asked hopefully. Thankfully, the King nodded enthusiastically, and went to prop the unconscious Sairu on his shoulder. "I'll take him to the next floor to let him recover. Once that's done, I'll lend you my strength again when you need it" "Alright. Thank you, Your Majesty" Riku sincerely thanked. With a nod of the head, the King and Sairu disappeared in a flash of light. After that, Riku approached the door and used the card the King gave him, the card to Twilight Town.

Once Riku emerged in this unfamiliar world, he took a look around, wondering where he was. "Where am I? What is this place?" he asked aloud, until to his horror, a corridor of darkness appeared before him, revealing a confident Ansem before him. "You must battle me all alone. Against my dark powers!" he exclaimed triumphantly, and the two looked ready to settle their grudge match, but, then, Riku relaxed his posture, looking at Ansem in an interrogative manner. "What's this? Are you giving up? Finally ready to surrender to your fate?" Ansem asked inquisitively. "You're not the true Ansem" Riku said flatly, which the entity before him by surprise, as he too relaxed his posture.

"Your scent is different. The Ansem in my heart smells darker. The odour is more foul. But your scent just isn't that. It's not darkness. It's something else. I finally understand. You're the one who guided me when it started. You came to me pretending to be Ansem. You gave me the card- To make me face the darkness" Riku explained, leaving Ansem to scoff, sounding impressed as he then spoke in a different voice entirely. "That is correct" as Ansem's form also changed, being engulfed by light, to be replaced by an enigmatic-looking man, whose face was obscured by red bandages, revealing a smooth, tanned chin and mouth, and a single golden right eye, the other obscured by two black belts adorning the bandaged head, and otherwise dressed in unusual attire. "DiZ, or so I am known. You- I've watched you all along" the figure introduced himself to the unsurprised Riku. "Really. Who are you? And what do you want from me?" Riku asked, suspicious of the individual before him. "For you to choose" DiZ simply responded. "Choose?" Riku asked, prompting DiZ to explain "You are a special entity. You exist between the light and dark. You stand in the twilight, as does your unconscious friend" Riku's suspicion grew at that last remark, but wasn't surprised that this figure knew about Sairu, considering he was his companion the whole time in the castle. "You are to meet Naminé, then choose" DiZ added, leaving Riku curious, as well as suspicious. "Naminé? Who's that?" Riku asked. "You will know soon" DiZ answered before disappearing into the light. At this, Riku concluded he had no choice but to explore the town, and began his search for Naminé.

Meanwhile, in the next room of the castle, the King stood over the still unconscious Sairu, concerned for the young man. But he knew he could do very little for him. It was all down to him, and him alone. With that, he turned his attention to the door where Riku would emerge from in due time. As he stood looking at it, the King closed his eyes in concentration, sending a portion of his energy into the card world to aid Riku when he would need it. As he did so, he was unaware of what was occurring in Sairu's inner world.

In a world shrouded in darkness, the only source of light within that darkness was a single pillar, depicting a sleeping Sairu adorned in a stained-glass platform, floating in dreamless sleep, clutching his trademark sword in his right hand. In the background, two conflicting scenes were depicted: on the left side where Sairu floated was a beautiful looking garden; on the right, a depiction of Traverse Town existed as well. Above the rendition of Traverse Town, were images of seven individuals: a goofy-faced Sora featured at the top of the hexagonal arrangement, a confident Riku featured to his right, Donald and Goofy featured on Sora's left, a smiling King Mickey underneath them, a bashful-looking girl with long, curly black hair featured underneath Riku, Kairi at the bottom most of the arrangement. Yet, in the centre, which would have depicted another individual, was cracked and obscured by the darkness formed from the despair Sairu felt. In the very centre of the platform stood a solitary Sairu, frozen and coated in a dark aura, with gritted teeth. As time pressed on, the dark aura became deeper and more sinister. "It was that Replica's fault" Sairu said through his gritted teeth, rage building inside him, reaching a dangerous point. "That Replica stole his power, and his life. It stole all that was left of my best friend. He... will pay... HE WILL PAY!" he bellowed as the dark aura erupted with equal ferocity as the rage that was released from him. "Wait..." a calm voice declared, and as Sairu turned, his anger and darkness dimmed as he noticed the girl that stood there: she was rather pretty in his eyes, with blond hair draped over her right shoulder, and cobalt blue eyes that reminded Sairu of a good friend. She was only wearing a simple white dress that reached her knees and light blue sandals with a rather petite figure. "Who are you?" Sairu asked, struggling to contain his anger.

"My name is Naminé. It is nice to meet you, Sairu" Naminé said with a smile, which took him by surprise: she was being so sweet in front of him, and he was filled with anger and hatred towards the one responsible for Ienzo's demise. "Naminé? What are you doing in this place?" Sairu asked, attempting to sound calm and composed, but it seemed she knew that and did not hesitate in the slightest. "I'm here to give you a choice" she said calmly. "What would that be?" Sairu asked, sounding impatient. "You need to realize that what you're feeling is natural, but you can't let it rule your actions" Naminé explained. "And why shouldn't I?" Sairu angrily asked in retaliation. "Because you're hurt and for those who have been in your position, seeking revenge is the easier option than attempting to just simply forgive the people who caused this pain. But, what is more important is that you forgive yourself. If you can forgive yourself, then you can escape your suffering and your hatred of the Replica will fade."

Sairu gave her an incredulous look, then a look that said she was mad. Sensing this, Naminé then walked over to the images that depicted Sairu's closest friends, and she said "Sairu, it is not in your nature to be an avenger. The images of your friends on this platform are proof of this. An avenger cares for nothing but their objective, stopping at nothing to obtain it. But you care for your friends above everything else; if you didn't any longer, then these images would be rendered blank. The only one missing is Ienzo, because of your despair of losing him. The right thing to do is to stand up after falling down, because that's who you are" Naminé finished with a sincere smile adorning her gentle features. At hearing this, the dark aura surrounding Sairu vanished, and the angered expression soothed and relaxed into a calm one..

"Believe me, Sairu. Ienzo may be gone, physically, but he exists forever, inside your heart. That's where he will stay, now and forever" Naminé added serenely, which evoked a sense of realization in Sairu, understanding now the path he will walk. Sairu then lifted his gaze to Naminé's face and gave a warm smile. "I see. Thank you... Naminé" At hearing this, Naminé was taken aback, but she regained her composure and smiled in return. "You're welcome. Now I'd better go. I have to tend to Sora" "Sora? Has something happened?" Sairu asked. Naminé gave Sairu a sad smile and answered "You'll know soon enough. And Sairu... does this mean we're friends?" she asked, a look of hopefulness in her piercing blue eyes. Seeing this, Sairu's heart began beating rapidly and his cheeks tinted pink, but said, in a surprisingly controlled voice "Of course. I mean, who wouldn't think of you as a friend after what you did for me?"

Now it was Naminé's turn to blush slightly, and she happily nodded in return. "Do you think I'll see you again, Naminé?" Sairu asked. Naminé gave him a sad look, yet she smiled and said "I don't know for sure, but I'd be happy to see you again" she said, and her form disappeared before his eyes. After that, Sairu turned to face the images of his friends which had changed: Ienzo's image was depicted at the centre of the now heptagonal arrangement, and now featuring Naminé at the bottom alongside Kairi. Seeing this, Sairu smiled and looked to the darkness above, as he disappeared from the platform. The next time he opened his eyes, he would be back in Castle Oblivion, his choice having been made.


	10. Acceptance

Chapter 10- Acceptance

As Sairu's eyes opened, his vacant gaze was extinguished; the shining gleam of determination shone in his eyes once more. The King sensed his stirring and turned to face him, a look of concern and relief adorning his features. "Sairu? Are you okay?" the King asked hopefully. As Sairu groggily rose to his feet, he turned to face the King, with a look of tranquil calm upon his face. "Just fine, Your Majesty" he said, smiling. The King took a sigh of relief, taking this as a sign he was alright, but was curious as to how, considering how he was before he put him to sleep. "What happened? Did you make a decision?" the King asked again. At this, Sairu stood up straight, and looked down on the King, still smiling and said "I have. Someone told me it was easy to desire for revenge, but the best option was to accept what happened, and rise above it" Sairu responded. At hearing this, the King was now even more curious as to who helped him, but was satisfied that Sairu was alright.

"Wait, we're in the next room. Where's Riku?" Sairu then asked, realizing that Riku was nowhere in sight. "He's in there. He seems to be doing okay. I've lent him some of my power to aid him in there" the King explained as he gestured to the room behind him. Sairu nodded in understanding, but then the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, so he turned around to see a bizarre- looking figure, his face obscured by red bandages and black belts obscuring his left eye, leaving only his golden right eye visible as well as his mouth, revealing a smooth tanned face. "So you have awoken. That is good to see" the figure said, relief surprisingly evident in his voice. "Hold on. Who are you?" Sairu asked, suspicious of this enigmatic individual. "You may refer to me as DiZ. You have nothing to fear; I have no intention of doing you harm" DiZ introduced himself, sensing Sairu's suspicious aura.

"Why do I have a hard time believing that?" Sairu said, more to himself than DiZ before him. "Your suspicions are understandable; encountering an unfamiliar face in a place such as this would prompt anyone to keep themselves on guard" DiZ added. "How long have you been here?" Sairu asked, his suspicions adamant. "I have been with Riku since before Riku arrived in Castle Oblivion. I was the one who gave Riku the card that brought him here. You ended up here for a different reason" DiZ continued to explain, earning Sairu's curiosity. "What do you mean by that?" Sairu asked. "Your resolute desire to find your friend brought you here to the castle to locate that friend. Not long after, Riku arrived and you began your journey through memories from there" At hearing this, Sairu came to fit the pieces together: because of Zexion's presence in the castle, his heart drew him here unintentionally, and Riku was drawn here too because of DiZ, who seemed vaguely familiar to Sairu for some reason. As he turned to the King, he himself looked DiZ over thoughtfully, which Sairu assumed meant the King seemed to know him as well.

"What is Riku doing now? Where is he now?" Sairu asked DiZ. "Riku is due to meet Naminé, then he must make a choice" "Naminé? Do you know her?" Sairu asked suspiciously. "It appears you have made contact with her. That girl is more trouble than it's worth..." DiZ said offhandedly, though Sairu heard that comment, gritting his teeth as a result. "Ok, so Riku has to make a choice. What would his choices be?" King Mickey asked, sounding suspicious himself now. Seeing the King join the conversation seemed to alert DiZ, who stood silently for a minute, pondering if he should tell them as they were Riku's friends or keep it quiet. But he concluded that he had no choice but to tell them. "Very well... I shall tell you..." DiZ said after his reverie.

Meanwhile, Riku's journey through Twilight Town now brought him to a seemingly abandoned mansion on the outskirts of the woods. "Maybe Naminé is here..." Riku pondered aloud, and then an all too familiar voice called out. "Hold it" he said, and as Riku turned around, he was greeted by the Replica, who eyed him with a dirty look. The Replica approached Riku, and said, having noticed "Hmph. You've changed. Your own darkness- it doesn't frighten you anymore" he said in a condescending voice. Riku was undeterred by this and asked "How can you tell?" "Because I'm you" the Replica simply said. "No, I'm me" Riku retaliated. This seemed to take the Replica back slightly, who directed his gaze to the floor.

"'I'm me', he says. Must be nice, being real. A fake like me could never get away with saying that" he said, sounding spiteful. "That's right, I'm a phony, a fake!" he then exclaimed hatefully. "The way I look, the way I feel, everything I remember! And even this newfound power!" and he became enshrouded in a sinister blue aura, which took Riku by surprise. Once the aura faded, the Replica continued venting its frustration "I thought by finding some new strength, I could finally be someone- someone who's not at all you! But... nothing changes... I'm still just empty! Everything about me is borrowed. As long as you're around" The Replica then summoned his sword, and yelled to Riku "I'll never be more than a shadow!" Once he finished, Riku drew his own blade, the Replica crackling with dark energy, and the battle began.

The Replica's fury at questioning its own existence fuelled the dark strength he had, and with the power he stole from Zexion, the Replica's strength had soared beyond Riku's expectations, proving to be a worthy adversary more than once. Considering their identical method of fighting, the two were evenly matched. At his strongest, Riku was still able to catch up to the Replica's level, but suffered critical attacks from his doppelganger more than once. As they fought, the Replica's fury began to blind him, attacking relentlessly with apparent intent to kill, losing all sense of rationality. With that, Riku blocked the seemingly endless barrage of attacks, waiting for an opening. When he did so, he concentrated his darkness within his blade, and immediately struck with an agile, yet incredibly powerful swing. Once the attack connected, the Replica was thrown back, where he fell to the ground on his back, struggling to breathe as darkness surrounded his form. The Replica's face, once contorted with pure rage and jealousy, now bore an expression of tranquil calm.

"So... it's over" he said as he laid there, gazing up at the sky, then he scoffed "Hmph. Death doesn't frighten me. Good riddance to a phony life" he said as if it didn't matter whatsoever. "My heart was never real. I'm sure even what I'm feeling now is probably all fake" "What are you feeling?" Riku asked in a comforting voice as he looked down upon the Replica. "What happens when a fake dies- one like me? Where will my heart go? Does it disappear?" "It'll go somewhere" Riku said reassuringly. "Maybe to the same place as mine" Hearing this, the Replica gave a short chuckle and smiled, and said, as the darkness began to consume him "A faithful replica until the very end. That's... okay" With those final words, the Replica's body was consumed by the darkness, never to be seen again. Riku simply stood there, gazing at the spot where his doppelganger laid, and took his leave, continuing his search for Naminé.

Elsewhere, Sairu and King Mickey were trying to process what DiZ just told them what Riku had to choose. If they were telepathic, Sairu and the King would have sensed each other think the same thing: that they hope Riku makes the right choice. After considering his words, Sairu then felt compelled to ask a burning question: "DiZ, who exactly is Naminé? Can you tell us?" At hearing this, DiZ merely lowered his head, and spoke after a moment "Naminé is a unique entity, with the ability to rewrite the chains of memories that exist inside our hearts. Owing to this most unique ability, Naminé's power was highly sought after by the Organization. Particularly, a member of the Organization, Marluxia, I believe he was named, intended to use Naminé's power for his scheme to overthrow the Organization" At hearing this last bit, Sairu realized something and said "Wait. When we encountered Zexion earlier, he stated that Marluxia was the keeper of this castle. Also, he said that he was defeated by Sora" "Sora's in the castle?!" King Mickey exclaimed in surprise.

"Indeed. For you see, Sora was a necessary component of Marluxia and his cohort, Larxene's plan to overthrow the Organization. Their intention was to use Naminé's ability to rewrite Sora's memories, and gradually break him down into a puppet for them to control. With Sora as their puppet, they would pit him against the Superior and defeat him to gain the leadership that Marluxia so coveted. Thankfully, Naminé escaped their clutches and revealed the truth to Sora; through such information, Sora broke away from their plans and defeated them both" DiZ explained, having witnessed the events from afar. Hearing that Sora took care of the traitors seemed to relieve Sairu and King Mickey, until DiZ resumed speaking "Once Marluxia was defeated, Naminé gave Sora a choice: to keep his altered memories of the castle and discard his original memories, or regain the memories he lost, and forget all of his journey throughout this castle, including Naminé herself. It may please you to know that Sora and his companions opted for regaining their original memories, and have now been put to sleep for a prolonged period of time so Naminé can reconnect their chains of memories" Hearing this served to shock Sairu and the King, but considering who Sora was, they silently agreed Sora made a noble sacrifice to regain his original memories.

After some time traversing Twilight Town, Riku eventually discovered an unusual room that was bathed in a soft white glow, with an unusual flower-like monument at the centre of the room. Standing cautiously behind it was a blonde haired girl in a simple white dress, eyeing Riku warily. At this, Riku concluded after all his searching, this was Naminé. "Are you Naminé?" Riku asked as politely as he could. "Yes" she answered as she approached him. "I see... That was you..." Riku said, sounding surprised as he realized something. "Huh?" Naminé said. "Forget it. Nothing" Riku hurriedly said. "Please... Come this way" Naminé said, turning to the flower monument at the centre, and then, as Riku looked at it, he noticed what looked like a person inside. As he looked at it, he noticed, to his surprise, it was Sora.

"Sora!" Riku said as he ran to it. Then he turned back to Naminé and asked "What have you done to Sora?" "Nothing" Naminé quickly replied. "He's just asleep. To get his memory back" she added hastily. Riku looked at her with a confused expression, and seeing this, Naminé explained to Riku what happened to Sora, and he, Donald and Goofy have now gone to sleep to regain their memories. After some time Riku summarized "So Sora chose to forget about this castle...and get his old memories back?" "You have a choice to make, too" Naminé replied. "Why me, too? No one's messed with my memories" Riku asked, confused. "It's not your memories. It's your darkness. In your heart there is darkness, and in that darkness is Ansem. He may be at bay for now- but eventually he'll wake, and he will take over you just like he did before. But I have powers you can use. With my powers, I can put a tight lock on your heart. That way, Ansem could never come out from inside you" Naminé explained. "What happens if I let you do that? Will I forget everything like Sora?" Riku asked uncomfortably as he kept his hand on his chest. "I'll have to" he said ponderingly. "The darkness in you will be sealed tight just like your memory. You'll stop remembering the darkness. You'll go back to how you were. Riku, please choose" Naminé said. At this, Riku turned to look at the sleeping Sora inside the pod. "He doesn't even look worried. Will I sleep like that too?" he asked. "Yes" Naminé responded. After hearing this, Riku's confusion dissolved as he spoke again. "Figures. Sora always did as he pleased. Whatever we'd be doing together, he'd find a way to slack off. Even trying to leave the islands- I did all the work on the raft by myself. That's it. When this slacker wakes up, I'll tell him off. Sairu and I told him to take care of Kairi and here he is just taking a nap! But I can't chew him out like he deserves- if I've been asleep" he said, wagging his finger like a teacher to a pupil. At hearing hi words, Naminé realised what Riku's decision was. "I don't need my heart locked. I'm ready- I'm going to fight Ansem" "but what if his darkness overtakes you?" Naminé asked, worried. Yet Riku simply answered "If that happens, then the darkness will show me the way" "Yes... That's true" Naminé said smiling. Seeing this, Riku curiously asked "Why do I get the feeling you knew I would say that?" "I didn't know. I hoped. I wanted you to face the darkness, because you're the one who can" Naminé replied honestly. At this, Riku realized something and replied "So that's the reason- that's why you came to my rescue inside that light... in the form of Kairi" Naminé was surprised to hear this, and asked "When'd you know?" "I knew when I met you. You and Kairi smell the same" Riku said in a tender voice, before turning to leave. As he walked away, determined to face Ansem once and for all, he gave three last words to Naminé: "Look after Sora", which she nodded as he left.


	11. Looming Dawn

Chapter 11- Looming dawn

After his discussion with Naminé about how to face Ansem and his darkness, Riku continued on to return to the castle beyond the door. Once he emerged, he was greeted by both the King and, to his relief, a smiling Sairu. Once Riku fully emerged from the door as it closed behind him, the King said "Gosh, I guess you decided not to go to sleep" "How'd you know that?" Riku asked, puzzled. "We heard it from DiZ" King Mickey replied, as he turned to address the mysterious man who stood off at the side of the room, turning to face Riku. "Do you know him?" Riku asked. "Well, I'm not sure. Got a feeling that I've met him... somewhere..." "You're not the only one, Your Majesty. I have that same feeling too" Sairu added as well, eyeing DiZ curiously. "How are you feeling, Sairu?" Riku asked, curious as to how his friend seemed to have become his old self again.

"Never better, thanks to Naminé" Sairu said cheerily, as he pumped the air to show he was alright. "Naminé, you say?" Riku asked, his curiosity growing at hearing that. "I'll explain later. We need to continue on, don't we?" Sairu said dismissively. Riku nodded, content with the idea that Sairu was OK now. With that, the trio approached DiZ, Riku asking "Hey. Who are you?" DiZ cryptically responded "I could be nobody or anybody. It is up to you whether you choose to believe in me or not" "Boy, you really like pushing decisions on other people" Riku replied in an annoyed voice. "And you have pushed away slumber making the choice to face Ansem" DiZ added. "Do you think I'm reckless?" Riku asked curiously. "You have chosen your own path" DiZ again cryptically answered. "Are you supporting me? Or are you abandoning me?" Riku asked in an interrogative tone. "That will be your choice as well" DiZ replied. He then approached the three friends before him, and produced a large black bundle, which upon closer inspection, were revealed to be black cloaks, which Sairu recognised as the Organization's attire. "Hold on. Why are you giving us these cloaks?" Sairu asked, confused as to why they would wear the same clothing as individuals who were their enemies. Riku picked one up, and looked it over curiously.

"What's this?" Riku asked, to which DiZ explained "The Organization will pursue you all. Like a pack of hunting dogs, they will sneak up on you if they sense your presence. However- this cloak that is worn by Nobodies will render their eyes and their noses useless" He then turned to look at the King, stating in what Sairu believed to be a joke as he continued his explanation "The ears, not so... They wear this to give themselves protection from being devoured by darkness. Is it clear? Even the Organization cannot rule the darkness " "Doesn't matter" Riku stated determinedly. "I won't run from the darkness" Once Riku finished speaking, DiZ produced a card and threw it to Riku who caught it effortlessly. "The card will draw out your heart's darkness. Finish your business with Ansem" DiZ said, as he stepped aside to allow them passage. "Come on, let's go" Riku said, looking to both Sairu and King Mickey, who each nodded in return, and the trio continued forward, with DiZ watching them go. Once they emerged in the next room, Riku approached the door first of the trio.

Riku then produced the card from his pocket, looking at it concerned. "He said this card will draw Ansem out..." Riku said. "Don't worry! We can defeat him together" King Mickey said confidently. "That's right. It's our job to help you after all, being your friends" Sairu added, sounding confident himself. Yet Riku's somewhat downhearted demeanour didn't change. "Sorry... I've got to face him alone" he said flatly. "But why?!" the King said, sounding horrified. "Riku, we just said we're going to stop him together. Is this a matter of pride or something?" Sairu asked, sounding distraught himself. "There's no point in doing this if I can't do it on my own. So to answer your question, Sairu, no. It's not a matter of pride. But I do need a favour" he said, which silenced the King and Sairu at once. "If Ansem is the victor, he's going to enslave me. If that happens, use your powers to destr-" "Of course! We'll be right there to save ya!" the King interrupted, but Riku continued. "Huh? No, that's not it" he said bashfully "I want you to destr-" "No way!" the King interrupted with a wagging finger. "No matter what happens, Sairu and I are gonna be right there to help ya. We promise you that" prompting Sairu to give Riku a stern nod of the head, proving the King's words true for himself. "Unless... you don't believe we'll come through for ya..." the king added. "I choose to believe in you- always, Your Majesty, Sairu" Riku said in a calm and content voice. "And we in you. You're not gonna lose, I know it" the King replied, proving his faith in Riku. "Yeah. There's no way Ansem is going to control you again. And if he does, you'll have me to answer to" Sairu quipped teasingly, giving a cocky smirk afterwards, which earned him a chuckle from Riku. "Thanks, you guys" Riku said gratefully, glad in the knowledge his friends have such faith in him.

With those thoughts in his head, Riku approached the door, more determined than ever to face Ansem once and for all. Once he activated the card and entered the door beyond, emerging in a corridor, summoning his weapon and shouting out to Ansem "Ansem! Where are you? Show yourself!" After his shout, an evil chuckle echoed throughout the corridor, confirming Ansem heard him, yet did not make a physical appearance, though he addressed Riku confidently "Why in such a hurry? I'll be here at the very heart of darkness... Watching you plunge into the same darkness- inside of you" At this, Ansem's voice fell silent and Riku continued on his way, determination guiding his every stride.

Meanwhile, in the room before, Sairu had decided to try on the cloak that DiZ had supplied them with. It surprisingly fit perfectly, but was uncomfortable in wearing similar, if not the same clothing as Zexion had before his demise, so he removed it shortly after. As he did so, something fell to the floor: as he turned around to see what it was, he noticed the King bend over and pick it up. Sairu realised that it was the scroll his father had written for him, the one he hadn't read. "Sairu, I take it this belongs to you" the king said and offered the scroll to him, which Sairu gratefully accepted. "Thank you, Your Majesty" Sairu said also with gratefulness. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is that scroll anyway?" King Mickey asked puzzlingly. At this, Sairu gave a sad smile and replied "I can't honestly say for sure, but it was written to me by my father, so I know whatever it has to say, it must be important" "Your father? Where is he now?" King Mickey asked, his curiosity growing by the second.

"I don't know. You see, my parents weren't able to look after me after I was born. But I was unable to find out why, as Leon doesn't know anything about them. But hopefully, this scroll will answer my questions about my origins" Sairu explained, which evoked a look of sadness from King Mickey. "I'm sorry. I... I had no idea" But Sairu simply shook his head and said "It's not a problem, really. But I was also told that there is someone who can help fill the gaps that this scroll may not. From what Leon told me, he is the only one who can help me with it" Hearing this, the King was curious as to who this individual was, and was about to ask this man's identity, until a thought occurred to him, as he looked at the pendant around Sairu. "Sairu, where did you get that pendant?" King Mickey asked, having recognised the shape somewhere, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Well... I can't really say for sure. I've had it as long as I can remember, just like the Lunablade" Sairu answered truthfully. "Lunablade?" "Yeah, this" Sairu answered, gesturing to his sword on his back. "Oh, I see... but a funny name for a sword" King Mickey said inquisitively. "I got the idea from my brother's weapon, the gunblade. I used that motif to give my sword its given name. And it's not just a sword: to me, it's as precious as my life or indeed my friends" Why's that?" the King asked. "I suppose because it represents the Moon, and how it shines down on us in the darkest nights. The light within darkness... the light that guides travellers, and keeps the terrors at bay. That is what this sword means to me" he finished with a smile, though it soon turned into a frown.

"Yet... I failed to achieve what I set out to do: protect those closest to me and find my best friend to bring him home. Because I was too weak, that Replica of Riku stole what remained of Ienzo: his Nobody. Now he's gone, and I can't help but blame myself for what happened. If only I had been stronger..." Sairu said sadly as his mood slowly lowered into depression, until... "Sairu. Didn't you say before that Naminé helped you get over this burden you placed yourself in?" At this, Sairu's mind trailed back to his encounter with Naminé in that strange world: "_Believe me, Sairu. Ienzo may be gone, physically, but he exists forever, inside your heart. That's where he will stay, now and forever" _As his mind replayed what she said to him, Sairu remembered he was only blaming himself for something he could not control, and a gentle smile adorned his face once more. "That's right... Ienzo's Nobody saved me because he still saw me as his friend. I did not influence that decision. I had almost forgotten... Thank you, Your Majesty "Aw shucks, Sairu. You don't have to call me that. We're pals ourselves, you know" the King said embarrassedly. Sairu chuckled and replied "Understood, Mickey"

Elsewhere, Riku had arrived at a wide open room, after traversing the labyrinth of the castle. Once he emerged in the room, he called out to Ansem "I smell you, Ansem. Show yourself" Heeding his words, Ansem appeared before his very eyes, confidence shimmering in his golden eyes, yet they bore a look of confusion as well. He then said accusingly "I have watched you fight. I know your strength. Your skill with darkness has grown. It has become more mature. And yet, why... Why do you accept the darkness- but still refuse me? You know you and I are similar. We both follow where the darkness leads. Indeed, we are the same, so why? Does some part of your heart still have a fear of the dark?" "That's not it" Riku answered "The truth is..." and he summoned his weapon, Soul Eater, stating spitefully "I just can't stand your foul stench" "You are a fool. You should know my powers well by now" Ansem said warningly. "Yeah, I know. Or did you forget? I used all the power you had to give- and Sora still beat me. I'm not at all impressed with your powers!" Riku stated matter-of-factly, which earned him a dark glare from Ansem.

"Very well. In that case-" he soon began amassing darkness, and released its tremendous power, bellowing "you shall sink into the abyss!" As the darkness engulfed the pair of them, Riku had to shield himself. Once he opened his eyes, their surroundings had changed: they seemed to be in the place where the Door to Darkness once stood before it was sealed by the King and Sora. To his horror, a fist flew towards him, but Riku thankfully dodged the attack. Overhead, Riku noticed Ansem floating above, and as he folded his arms, confidence apparent on his features, his dark guardian appeared behind him, and the fated battle between the hero and Seeker of Darkness raged.

The two destined adversaries fought with no restraint, matching one another move for move. Each attack they unleashed had the strength of a rampaging elephant; only one of equal fortitude was capable of halting the other's advances. It was simply an exchange of darkness against darkness, but neither Ansem nor Riku deterred in the slightest. Soon, Ansem sent his shadowy counterpart into the ground, randomly erupting from the ground, prompting Riku to go on the evasive. After several failed attempts at striking Riku, the dark guardian then unleashed an almighty explosion which Riku was unable to dodge in time, and was sent flying to the far end of the battleground, heavily injured. Seeing this, Ansem gave a triumphant laugh and silently ordered his guardian to charge at him.

'It's over... I couldn't stop him... after all my... efforts' Riku thought, defeated. Then, to his surprise, illusions of Sairu and King Mickey appeared before his eyes, reiterating the words they said before he took off on his own: "_You're not gonna lose, we know it" "Yeah. There's no way Ansem is going to control you again. And if he does, you'll have to answer to me" _As quickly as they appeared, the apparitions disappeared. At this, Riku remembered what he was fighting for, not just to free himself from Ansem's torments, but to protect his friends. Riku slowly rose to his feet, and his body was shrouded in darkness, acting as a shield against the guardian that was fast approaching them. The guardian was sent flying away from where Riku stood to his master once more, who looked on dumbfounded. As the darkness disappeared, Riku stood, in his dark attire, his injuries apparent, but ignored them all the same. Then, to his horror, Ansem saw Sairu and King Mickey, or at least images of them, standing alongside Riku. Then, the three stood back to back, weapons raised to the sky, unleashing a huge sphere of light that also coalesced and pulsated with dark energy as well, and the sphere expanded: the Twilit Heavens technique. The force of the technique blinded everything, and critically injured the Seeker of Darkness. Once the light faded, Riku and Ansem stood in the room of Castle Oblivion they stood in previously, both drained of their strength.

However, while they were down, neither were out either. "Insolent brat!" Ansem bellowed scathingly, blasting a sphere of dark energy towards Riku. Riku managed to block the attack, and made it dissipate altogether. "Ansem!" Riku exclaimedin retaliation, and ran full pelt, his blade at his side as he unleashed an almighty swing, and truly defeated the dark entity. As he stood on one knee, Soul Eater held out in front with both hands, Riku flatly declared "This is the end!" "This... is hardly... the end..." Ansem struggled to refute, enduring the mortal wound he was inflicted by. "Your darkness- I gave it... all to you... " As he raised his hands defiantly in the air, he painfully retorted "My dark shadow...lingers... Someday... Someday... I will return!" he exclaimed as his being exploded into darkness, seemingly attempting one final time to trap Riku in the dark abyss. As the darkness enveloped, Riku weakly said aloud "Sora... Kairi..." Shortly after, two lights appeared: two golden spheres of light that floated towards his weak form, before taking form as Sairu and King Mickey. "Gosh, Riku, we know you wanted to do this alone..." "But you don't mind a little HELP now, do you?" Sairu finished, as they draped Riku over them, and floated away through the darkness.

Soon, the trio emerged from the dark depths at the entrance to Castle Oblivion, walking towards the exit together. Though, Riku walked at a slower pace than his two friends. "So, you two... What happens now? Are you both goin' home?" the King asked Sairu and Riku, as they both seemed lost in thought. Riku was the first of the two to answer: "I can't go home- not yet. It's still here. It's really faint, but I can sense him. So I think his darkness may still have a hold on me" "Your darkness belongs to you. Just the same way your light does" "Mickey's right, Riku" Sairu added reassuringly "And even if he is still in there, you can stop him again. You have the strength to do so" Sairu finished with a satisfied smile. Mickey nodded in Sairu's direction and then turned to Riku, saying "Up till now, I thought darkness was something that should never exist. Then I spent time with you and changed my mind. The road you chose- I didn't know. Light and dark, back to back. With you, I think they might meet in a way nobody's seen before. Wonder where that road leads. I'd like to see myself" The King then raised a hand to Riku, as Sairu joined him, raising his own hand "We'd like to walk the road with ya" At this, Riku could only chuckle and the three of them joined hands, much like Sairu once did with Sora, Donald and Goofy the day they met.

"Your Majesty, I'm really flattered... I don't know what to say" Riku said bashfully. "Gosh, Riku. You know you don't have to call me that now. We're pals" King Mickey added cheerily. "Fair enough... Mickey" Riku said, accepting defeat. As the three released their hands, Sairu then gave them a sad look. "Sorry to say, but despite what Mickey said about walking the same road, I can't" "Why not?" Riku asked puzzlingly. "I have to go off on my own... to find someone who can tell me the truth about my past. So I won't be going home just yet either" "It's about that scroll your dad left you, right?" King Mickey asked. Sairu nodded, and said "That's right. My brother told me only one person can give me the answers I seek" "If that's so, then I guess we'd better wish you luck" Riku said, and offered Sairu his hand, which Sairu gratefully shook in return. "I'll come back once I find my answers. We've got to take care of Sora until he wakes up" Sairu said with a smile across his face. "Yeah... We do" Riku said jovially, as Sairu turned to shake the King's hand now. "Who is this person you have to see, by the way?" the King asked curiously. "His name is... Master Yen Sid" Sairu humbly answered, as he turned to leave and draped the black cloak DiZ gave them over himself, as a corridor of darkness appeared and Sairu stepped into it. At hearing that name, King Mickey knew Master Yen Sid would help Sairu.

Sometime later, in an open meadow in the middle of night, Riku and King Mickey were walking side by side, both dressed in the black cloaks as they arrived at a cross in the road, where DiZ stood ahead of them, having seemingly been waiting for them. As they approached him, Riku suspiciously asked DiZ "What are you making me choose now?" "Between the road to light..." DiZ said, gesturing to the path on his left "... and the road to darkness" now gesturing to the path on his right. Without even taking the time to think it over, Riku answered "Neither suits me" and he walked forward, the King standing where he stood, watching Riku surprisingly, as he walked past DiZ saying "I'm taking the middle road" At this, DiZ closed his eye and retorted "Do you mean the twilight to nightfall?" At this, Riku stopped in his tracks, and turned back to DiZ, saying calmly "No. It's the road to dawn".


End file.
